Alphaliner says that a new mega alliance appears to be in the making, as CMA CGM and China COSCO lead efforts to set up a new carrier partnership which will enhance competition by splitting three of today’s four main East-West alliances
In its latest weekly report, Alphaliner says that the new French- Chinese mega alliance seeks to involve Evergreen and OOCL a movement that will radically alter the current liner shipping landscape and leave the eight remaining carriers of the Ocean Three, CKYHE and G6 alliances in the lurch.
Discussions are believed to be still ongoing and the carriers involved have not yet publicly announced their plans. CMA CGM however, already stated that it will pull APL out of the G6, once the French Line completes the Singaporean carrier’s acquisition in the second half of this year.
CMA CGM also commented that it hoped that COSCO-CSCL will join the Marseilles-based carrier in a new alliance partnership. However, COSCO has not yet revealed any post-merger alliance plans to follow the acquisition of CSCL’s container shipping operations, due to be finalised by the end of February.
”The motivation is to from a strong and stable alliance that could challenge the 2M’s dominance in the East – West trades and to distance the ’CCEO’ from some of the weaker partners within the current alliances, which could be facing financial distress.” Alphaliner notes
