News / Gemini drops Felixstowe for London Gateway on Asia-Europe strings

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With just 10 weeks to go until the Gemini Cooperation formally begins sailings – and two weeks before bookings open – Maersk and Hagag-Lloyd have announced they are to drop Felixstowe on their Asia-North Europe routes in favour of London Gateway.

Under the original Gemini network, there were due to be four Asia-North Europe strings – the AE1,AE2, AE3 and AE5 – with a UK call scheduled on the AE1, AE3 and AE5 services.

A Maersk customer advisory said that it recently undertook a review of the new network with Hapag-Lloyd and “during this optimisation process and our review of the Asia-Europe services, we have concluded that London Gateway is the most optimal port to serve our customers importing/exporting cargo to/from the UK.

“This strategic decision comes as part of the ambition to reduce network complexity with mostly single operator loops and fewer port calls per service, and is aimed at enhancing reliability, reach, and speed for our customers.

“Due to this change, Felixstowe will not be a part of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd’s shared Gemini network,” it added.

Maersk added that the switch would not affect its services operated outside Gemini. According to the eeSea liner database, the Danish carrier currently has four other services – outside of its existing 2M arrangement with MSC, due to end on 1 February – calling at Felixstowe.

These comprise a North Europe-Mediterranean intra-regional service run in cooperation with Borchard Lines, Hapag-Lloyd, OOCL and Turkon, one feeder string to Scandinavia and two standalone Europe-Middle East services.

Other Gemini UK port calls include two stays per week at London Gateway on two of its Middle East/India-Europe services, and three Southampton calls on the transatlantic services. Maersk, and a separate advisory from Hapag-Lloyd, said these would proceed as planned.