2M Partners Up Asia-Europe, Transpacific Offer

zoomImage courtesy: Maersk Line Danish shipping giant Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) have decided to add two new services to the existing 2M network to accommodate the incoming volumes as a result of slot purchase agreements with Hyundai Merchant Marine and Hamburg Süd. Maersk Line said that the Asia North Europe trade will now feature a new service, the AE7 service, which is expected to improve the offering from East China into Rotterdam in The Netherlands and Hamburg in Germany. The company informed that the new service would also cut the transit time from Shanghai to Rotterdam and Hamburg by three days, respectively. The second service, the TP16, which would be introduced in the Asia US South Atlantic trade, would improve transit time from South China to the US South Atlantic by eight days. Additionally, Maersk Line said that it would merge the TP8 and TP3 services between Asia and the US West Coast into one service, the TP8. South Koreas Hyundai Merchant Marine and German-based Hamburg Süd will move cargo for the 2M partners Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Maersk Line, but would not operate vessels in the 2M network. Our new slot agreements require that we increase our capacity. With these service improvements we are adding the necessary capacity to match the increase in volumes. Our aim is and continues to be to manage our capacity efficiently and maintain the stability and continuity of our network, Silvia Ding, Head of Trade in Maersk Line, said. The new services would be effective from April 1, 2017.