Cosco and OOCL pull ships from CMA CGM’s India-Europe loop
Boxships shift to slot charter as CMA CGM resumes full Suez rotations
Cosco Shipping and its subsidiary OOCL have pulled their vessels from CMA CGM's Epic India-to-Europe service, switching to a slot-charter arrangement as the French carrier resumes full Suez Canal rotations. Three ships have left the Epic3 string: the 13,386 teu Cosco England, the 14,074 teu CSCL Neptune and the 13,200 teu CSCL Star.
To cover the gap, CMA CGM is redeploying tonnage from its Asian network and is expected to declare 11 of its own ships on the Epic, up from seven. The weekly loop is returning to full Suez rotations in early July from Nhava Sheva, with the two carriers cooperating through a slot charter similar to their existing Indamex arrangement on the India-US East Coast trade.
A Cosco Shipping India sales executive said allocations to Indian shippers remain unclear, but confirmed that North Europe rates are rising to $3,200 per teu and feu in July. Analysts warn the withdrawal could tighten westbound space for Indian exporters at a sensitive time.
The move is best read as a tactical swap within the Ocean Alliance framework rather than a retreat, as carriers rebalance capacity around the return of Suez transits and shifting demand on the India-Europe corridor.
