August 10, 2020: Updated network will connect more cargo via the Maersk hub in Colombo and provide customers additional flexibility and agility to move cargo between different markets. No impact to capacity in the network.
A.P. Moller – Maersk announces improvements to its network between Europe and the Middle East & Indian Subcontinent (West Central Asia). The aim is to enhance reliability while building a network that helps customers with more resilient and agile supply chains.
The updated network will connect more cargo via the Maersk hub in Colombo (Sri Lanka), allowing customers to do consolidation from different origins and better connect their cargo from both Asia and West Central Asia. Furthermore, by linking Middle East stronger to Maersk key hubs in Europe, the changes provide customers additional flexibility and agility to move cargo between different markets.
“To meet changing customer needs, we have reviewed our service network and identified opportunities to create new solutions for how we connect Europe and the Middle East & Indian Subcontinent region. Through increased flexibility and connectivity these changes will offer new, interesting ways for our customers to connect their supply chains both from an import and export perspective,” says Johan Sigsgaard, Head of Europe and Middle East Trades at A.P. Moller – Maersk.
The North Europe and West Mediterranean regions will be served via Maersk’s AE1 and AE7 services which offer a direct connection with Salalah (Oman) and Colombo. As a result of the changes the ME1 service will be suspended without impacting the capacity in the network. This will also reduce the need for ad-hoc blankings in times of volatile demand, which will provide greater supply chain predictability on these routes going forward.
Highlights:
- New access for West India and Pakistan to Maersk’s cross-consolidation service in Colombo
- New direct connection between the Western Mediterranean and North West India via the ME2 service
- Access to new inland destinations in Northern India
- Opportunity to utilise the Maersk Flex Hub storage solution in Salalah, Port Said (Egypt), Tangiers (Morocco) and Algeciras (Spain)
Further details relating to schedules and transit times will be communicated closer to the implementation date.
