As from today June 1, 2.001 , the French Shipping Company CMA CGM will enter the North-South trades, joining as a slot charterer the alliance named I.C.A. ( Independent Carriers Alliance ) comprising Hanjin Shipping Co. , Montemar Lines, Senator Lines and Zim Israel Navigation Co.

In this first stage CMA CGM will enter through slot charter agreements with CSAV subsidiary Montemar Lines. They will not initially contribute tonnage to the alliance, which will operate six 1,650-TEU vessels; though it may in the future.

The alliance will offer following port rotation on a wekly service frequency: New York - Norfolk - Savannah - Miami - Kingston, Jamaica - Fortaleza, Brazil - Rio de Janeiro - Santos - Buenos Aires - Montevideo - Asunción (vía feeder ), Rio Grande, Brazil - Itajai - Santos - Vitoria - Fortaleza - Kingston - New York. (Fortaleza and Vitoria, will be served fortnightly )

The CMA-CGM group announces its vocation to be a "global carrier" covering all world markets. Based on this philosophy, the company has also recently added new vessel to its round-the-world service and is establishing new services during last months as Transatlantic, Transpacific, Mediterranean/Caribbean, Indian Ocean / USA