NSB Freighter Cruises advised today (May 24th) that the m.v. Buxhansa has joined a new Southeast Asia – Indian Ocean – East Africa – Southeast Asia service, with the following port rotation: Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Pointe des Galets, Reunion – Tamatave, Madagascar – Maputo, Mozambique – Beira, Mozambique – Nacala, Mozambique – Port Louis, Mauritius – Singapore.

With an increase in the number of passenger-carrying container ships working CMA CGM’s Amerigo Express Transatlantic service to four, Salerno has become the new exchange port for Israeli-bound passengers from the US.

CMA CGM subsidiary Australian National Line has opened a new Southeast Asia / Australia passenger service using four 5,100 TEU container ships transferred in from the Pacific Express 3 round-the-world service to join the AAX service.

With the annoucement by CMA CGM of its new Columbus PNW service, North America is regaining a regular sea travel connection to Japan. Effective this spring, three French-flag ships will be sailing from Seattle and Vancouver to Yokohama on a regular basis. As other carriers have been turning down Japan-bound travellers this will be a first of a kind for Japan for several years.

Until recently, the well-known Columbus Loop service ran from the North American East Coast to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope and on to Seattle and Vancouver, with return to New York via Asia and Suez.

With two ships being transferred in from its Liberty Bridge service and two more from Pacific Express 3, CMA CGM’s Amerigo Express service is now up to four passenger-carrying ships running between Mediterranean ports and US ports between New York and Miami.

For years now, since Safmarine’s “Big Whites” disappeared, passengers have sought a means of travelling by sea to and from the Canary Islands. But cargo ships have only offered round trip voyages between north Europe and the islands.

Rickmers’ 50,249 dwt tonne Spirit of Lisbon (aside) has recently been added to the CMA CGM Liberty Bridge Transatlantic service and is offering the Owners Cabin (260 sq ft) and one Single cabin (170 sq ft) for passages.

The Cruise People Ltd is pleased to announce a new fortnightly cargo-passenger service from Liverpool to Dublin and Bristol, Leixoes, Algeciras and Setubal with a return call at Leixoes on the northbound voyage. Two Single Suites, £1,210 Each For 14 days.

For those wanting to return to North America this autumn by sea, or sail into the Great Lakes we have an extra sailing by Polsteam’s m.v. Isadora, scheduled from Amsterdam/IJmuiden for Cleveland, Ohio, and Burns Harbor, Indiana, in the second half of Septober.

The latest news from CMA CGM brings good tidings for those looking for a single voyage round the world. Round-the-world voyages will now be available from Houston, Mobile, Miami and Jacksonville, which has not been available since Rickmers stopped carrying passengers through the Suez Canal in 2011.

CMA CGM’s changing deployments are going to add significant passenger capacity to the Transatlantic business, where it is often difficult to get space.

Our latest update from CMA CGM brings some good news for those looking for a single voyage round the world, something that has not been available since Rickmers stopped carrying passengers through the Suez Canal.

The only direct cargo-passenger service between Europe and Australia in recent months has been a single-ship service by the 10-passenger CMA CGM Bellini, but we now have good news for travellers to and from Australia.

While a regular direct service between Australia and Europe has not been available recently through either Panama or Suez, we now have good news for cargo ship passengers wanting to travel through Suez.

Grimaldi Lines last year announced a new cargo-passenger service between Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Baltimore, which will eventually also serve Halifax and Antwerp.

Now that direct cargo-passenger service is no longer available between Europe and Australia, and Singapore has become a base port for P&O Cruises Australia, we will be using P&O Australia to offer connecting services between Singapore and Australian ports.

The passenger-carrying container ship MSC Flaminia will change service, leaving Northern Europe for the East Coast of South America in late January for a single voyage before phasing into the US East Coast – South America East Coast route with sister ship MSC Geneva.

The NSB container ships MSC Cordoba and MSC Monterey are phasing in to MSC’s “USA West Coast Express” service with immediate effect. The full round voyage is 56 days, and while other ports can also be booked, as examples the voyage from Felixstowe to Long Beach is 26 days while that from Oakland to Felixstowe is 28 days.