CMA CGM teams with Saudi liner newcomer

French liner giant CMA CGM has partnered up with recently established Saudi feeder and short-sea operator Folk Maritime to expand its service in the North Red Sea.

A new weekly service called North Red Sea Express (NRX) will link the Saudi ports of Jeddah, Neom, and Yanbu to the ports of Sokhna in Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan, with each partner operating one vessel.

The first sailing will take place from Jeddah on April 9 on the 2,100 teu Jin Shun He. 

The companies said NRX will aim to facilitate the growing market and trade needs within these regional ports while simultaneously helping to reduce carbon emissions by offering an alternative sea solution between Jeddah, Neom and Yanbu.

“This service will not only contribute to Saudi Arabia expansion of its logistic capabilities in the North Red Sea, but also serve our customers with a better offering in this key region where CMA CGM Group has been pioneering direct calls to the port of Neom since March 2023,” noted Olivier Nivoix, executive vice president of CMA CGM Group Lines.

Officially introduced less than a month ago, the Riyadh-based Folk Maritime is headed up by former Hamburg Süd boss Poul Hestbaek (pictured), who left the Maersk company in August last year.

“This service, in partnership with CMA CGM, marks a significant step in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s capacity as a global logistics hub and reinforces our commitment to drive growth and connectivity within the maritime sector,” Hestbaek said.