MARSEILLES' container shipping giant CMA CGM has reported a 7.5 per cent year-on-year increase in annual throughput in 2013 to 11.4 million TEU

In its third quarter update, the privately held company estimated that 2013 revenues increased 0.62 per cent year on year to US$16 billion.

Container Trades Statistics figures show that global box volumes edged up two per cent year on year to 127 million TEU in 2013, noted Lloyd's List.

This year's result includes the second quarter sale of a 49 per cent of its port operating unit, Terminal Link, to Hong Kong-listed China Merchants for $528 million.

CMA CGM revealed it will cancel two extra Asia-Europe sailings this month; a FAL 6 sailing, departing Shanghai on February 26, and a FAL 3 sailing, departing Shanghai on March 8.

The company said it will alter its FAL 7, FAL 3 and FAL 1 services to provide additional port calls.

"In addition to its Chinese New Year blank sailings programme, communicated on January 16, CMA CGM has decided to continue adjusting its capacity to slack market demand until end of February/early March 2014," said the company statement.