port initially was Bordeaux, before it became Hamburg in its latter years. By the 1960s and 70s as air travel became more Popular, many company's passenger services like those of Messageries Maritimes, brought to a halt and the container found its way into the freight sector, which required a completely new type of ship with the container ship. In 1972 all liner services were discontinued and they were replaced by global container services. In 1977 the company was forced to merge with the Compagnie générale transatlantique to form the Compagnie générale maritime. References French companies established in 1851 Compagnie Générale Transatlantique Transport companies established in 1851 Shipping companies of France Water transport in France