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The first cracks in the Gemini partners’ philosophy of limiting direct calls on their Asia-Europe services to hub ports have appeared.
Maersk has announced it would reintroduce direct calls at the Scandinavian ports of Aarhus and Gothenburg, in response to mounting congestion at Europe’s hub ports.
According to a customer advisory this morning, Maersk said its AE5 service – also known as the Gemini Asia-North Europe Loop 4, and marketed by Geminin partner Hapag-Lloyd as NE4 – would begin calling at the Danish port of Aarhus and the Swedish gateway of Gothenburg from week 35, beginning 25 August.
Maersk said the network change was due congestion across Europe caused by unexpectedly high volumes – according to Container Trades Statistics data released yesterday, the Far-East Europe trade recorded its highest month of volumes ever in May, at 1.81m teu – threatening Gemini’s promise of 90%-plus schedule reliability.
“Since April, Europe has been facing varying levels of congestion due to a strong demand influx, resulting in a temporary risk of delay,” Maersk told customers.
“With changes to the AE5 rotation, we are responding to our assessment of the current operational situation in Europe at large,” it added.
The new port rotation of the Gemini Asia-North Europe Loop 4 will be: Qingdao-Yantian-Tanjung Pelepas-London-Hamburg-Bremerhaven-Aarhus-Gothenburg-Rotterdam-Tanjung Pelepas-Yantian-Qingdao.
Meanwhile, Maersk confirmed that the first vessel to operate the new rotation will be the 18,300 teu Morten Maersk, now due to call at Aarhus on 1 September.
“The goal of the east-west network is to reduce volatility in your supply chains by delivering industry-leading reliability. The modularity aspect of the network unlocks a unique solution space to address challenges, predicted or not, so we can continue to offer you improved stability for your supply chain,” Maersk added.
This also means that it will discontinue two of its European shuttle services that individually connect Aarhus and Gothenburg to the Gemini transhipment operations at Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven.
According to the eeSea liner database, these comprise the Gemini Euro Shuttle 1 loop, that deploys the 2,300 Valencia Express vessel on a weekly Bremerhaven-Wilhelmshaven-Aarhus-Frederica-Bremerhaven loop, and the adjacent Gemini Euro Shuttle 2 loop, that deploys the 2,500 teu Charm C on a weekly Bremerhaven-Wilhelmshaven-Gothenburg-Bremerhaven loop.
Both Aarhus and Gothenburg’s container facilities are operated by Maersk-owned APM Terminals.
“Additionally, the APMT facility in Aarhus is uniquely located and has established capabilities that allows us to reconfigure our shuttle coverage in the geography. The shuttle vessels will then be actively re-deployed to respond in locations with an increased disruption risk to our customers’ business within the European geography,” Maersk said.
According to the Aarhus port authority, container volumes were up 30% in May on a year-on-year basis, and Gemini’s network revamp represents a win for Denmark’s largest port, as it will now have two direct calls from Asia a week, compared with the single call under the old alliance system.
Prior to the launch of the Gemini network, the port received one weekly direct call from Asia under the previous Maersk-MSC 2M Asia-Europe network. However, this was omitted in the first iteration of the Gemini network and has been serviced by shuttles since.
Meanwhile, MSC – in cooperation with Premier Alliance partners ONE and Yang Ming – injected a direct Aarhus call on its Swan/FE6 Asia-North Europe service after the 2M arrangement ended.
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