CMA CGM announces the upgrading of its North China Express service with a new direct call to Lebanon at the Port of Beirut and a weekly additional direct call to Le Havre in France This service will involve 9 x 6 500 teus class vessels on the following rotation: Xingang, Dalian, Qingdao, Hong Kong, Yantian, Port Kelang, Malta, Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Beirut, Jeddah, Port Kelang, Xingang. With these new ports of call, the Group CMA CGM offers a final European call at Le Havre, and a direct link to the Near East via Beirut, to the Red Sea via Jeddah, and to the steadily increasing Northern Chinese ports. CMA CGM will also use the port of Beirut to serve the local market and the neighbouring ports of Lattakia and Tartous (Syria), Mersin (Turkey), and Limasol (Cyprus) with dedicated feeders, insuring short transit time. This new service will connect Le Havre with Beirut in 8 days. The first call at Le Havre will be on October 28th, 2006, with the CMA CGM BAUDELAIRE, which will call at Beirut on November 6th, 2006.