Maersk Changes Port Coverage

Maersk Line announced schedule changes that affect port coverage on one of its services between the Far East and West Africa, and between Europe, the Middle East and South Asia in two other loops.

The carrier is extending its Far East-West Africa FEW1 service to include Shanghai and Ningbo in China.

The revised service provides direct calls at the West African ports of Lome (Togo); Cotonou (Benin), and Pointe Noire (Congo).

The new rotation of the FEW1 loop is: Shanghai; Ningbo; Nansha; Hong Kong; Tanjung Pelepas; Lome; Cotonou, and Pointe Noire.

The first call in Shanghai will be the Maersk Norwich on March 11.

The Danish carrier also revised the port calls of its ME1 and ME3 services between Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.

The changes enable it to provide direct service from North Europe to Aqaba (Jordan), Bandar Abbas (Iran) and new intra-Gulf service between Nhava Sheva (India) and Jebel Ali (United Arab Emirates).

It is adding an additional vessel to its ME1 service and revising its rotation as follows: Felixstowe; Zeebrugge; Bremerhaven; Rotterdam; Aqaba; Jebel Ali; Bandar Abbas; Jebel Ali; Nhava Sheva; Pipavav; Salalah; Jeddah, and Algeciras.

First ME1 vessel on the revised eastbound rotation will be the Maersk Kampala, sailing form Felixstowe on March 6.

The ME3 loop will cease calling Salalah eastbound, and Jeddah and Aqaba. It will cover services between Salalah and Jeddah and the Mediterranean through its AE11 service.

The new rotation of the ME3 loop is: Gioia Tauro; Algeciras; Tangier; Tarragona; Gioia Tauro; Port Said; Salalah; Jebel Ali; Nhava Sheva; Jebel Ali, and Port Said.

First vessel on the revised ME3 westbound loop is the Nedlloyd Barrentz, which will sail from Jebel Ali on March 16.