Maersk deploys new Trans-Pacific coverage to answer customer need

Charlotte, North Carolina - Maersk Line has announced the deployment of an enhanced Trans-Pacific service network at the end of May 2011.  

The design of the network is geared to deliver comprehensive coverage of key markets in Asia and North America and continue to improve upon our industry leading reliability in the Trans-Pacific trade.  In particular, the expanded coverage of the Yangtze River region and outlying cities is a direct result of listening to customer preferences, we have responded to their need for more reliable coverage due to increased demand from that region.  At the same time, the new network will enable Maersk Line to continue deliver cost effective transportation and reduce the carbon footprints of Maersk Line and customers.  

The service changes include:

•A Maersk Line operated TP1 service utilizing larger vessels and midweek delivery to Los Angeles for reliable connections to weekend trains (operating as a VSA with CMA CGM and MSC)

•TP2 coverage from South and Central China to and from the US West Coast with a new call in Ningbo (operated by MSC as VSA with Maersk Line and CMA CGM)

•A new Qingdao, China call added to the TP8 service using ‘S’ class vessels (operated by CMA & MSC jointly as a VSA with Maersk Line)

•Larger vessels to be deployed on the TP3 and the TP9 services providing expanded capabilities meeting increased demand to and from US East Coast markets

•A TP5 service consisting of  five Panamax class US flag vessels with expanded coverage of Japan

•A comprehensive Maersk Line operated TP6 service focused on delivering the highest reliability from Southeast Asia and China to and from  the U.S. West Coast

•A dedicated TP7 U.S. East Coast service string utilizing Panamax vessels focusing on direct calls at U.S. South Atlantic ports.      

 “Maersk Line is making exciting changes to our trans-Pacific services to provide our customers with cost effective products that deliver the most competitive transit times in the market, enabling us to deliver on our goal of 95% on time reliability to the last container yard for our customers.  Reliability is a key driver for our customers,” said Bill Woodhour, Senior Vice President, Maersk Line North America. “With the addition of larger vessels, we will be able to meet increasing demand in key markets while delivering a more environmentally responsible product.”   

The new rotation integrates double coverage in some key ports such as Ningbo and Shanghai to the Pacific Southwest ports so cargo can be switched to other strings for seamless delivery during peak shipping periods. With the intra-Asia feeder options, Maersk Line can penetrate over 100 local market locations and integrate these areas with our vast service network.

 “Maersk Line is focusing our efforts on becoming the easiest ocean shipping line to do business with in the industry.  We are the #1 carrier in on-time reliability and our aim is to increase that to an even higher percentage,” said Lars Mikael Jensen, Vice President, Network and Product, Pacific Services. “Marrying reliability with ease of business and environmental performance allows us to deliver the best value proposition for our customers.”  

Changes Asia – North Europe service network

Starting April 2011 Maersk Asia - North Europe network service will undergo major changes for the benefit to serve customers. The service change will be in place by June 2011.

“Our efforts are focused on improving our coverage and reliability between the major markets in the trade. The network will feature multiple calls from Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas plus direct coverage of Japan, Korea and other Chinese ports into Europe. South East Asia ports will continue to be served via our transhipment hub of Tanjung Pelepas – Malaysia,” Maersk said.

“It is Maersk Line’s aim to be our customers’ number one choice by offering an efficient and easy to use shipping network. Our customers have clearly requested more reliable services and better end to end connections so we have built such improvements into this network design” states Vincent Clerc, Vice President at Maersk Line.

The first westbound change to the new network will start with our AE10 service from Ningbo 7 April 2011, continuing into Shanghai, Yantian and Tanjung Pelepas. Our other strings will also follow a similar rotation through Asia, with direct calls included to Japanese and Korean ports and Xiamen, Hong Kong, Nansha. We will continue to offer direct and frequent coverage of Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Bremerhaven plus direct calls to Hamburg, Le Havre, Zeebrugge, Antwerp, Gdansk, Aarhus and Gothenburg.  Eastbound changes start from Gdansk 13 May proceeding through Northern European ports and into South China.