The Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) and Maersk Line will reduce the number of direct port calls across their Asia-North Europe network.

According to the 2M Alliance shipping lines, a key enabler for lowering the number of direct calls was the more efficient deployment of mega ships across their five Asia-North Europe services, reported IHS Media.

"We are utilising our scale to deliver a better product," said Maersk commercial chief Vincent Clerc, was quoted as saying. "With the largest network and the deployment of an increasingly uniform fleet of ultra-large container vessels, we maintain our extensive direct coverage while focusing each service towards best in class transit times to specific markets on the trade."

The carriers are focusing on bolstering their services into Germany and the Netherlands, with westbound transit times from Asia to Rotterdam and Bremerhaven taking five days less.

Eastbound transit time between Rotterdam and Shanghai would be five days faster. Mr Clerc said Maersk Line had drawn on experience from the first year of operations of the 2M alliance when adjusting the network.

"Our improved network is the result of a stable, maturing alliance seeking to address current customer-felt pain points. It strengthens our commercial offering and offers shippers a stable choice in times where other alliance networks await reshuffling," said Mr Clerc.

Alphaliner said Maersk's ability to grow volume at a faster pace than the 12 other carriers that reported first-quarter earnings while delivering better operating margins was a sign of how Maersk was pulling away from the rest of the container shipping industry.

"Maersk's decision to pursue market share contributed to the decline in freight rates," said Alphaliner, adding that in the first quarter "when most competitors were trying to curb capacity growth, Maersk deployed off-schedule extra loaders on both the Asia-Europe and transpacific routes."

Source: Shipping Online.cn