Carriers adjust their services in response to market dynamics and operational hurdles. Stay informed of upcoming changes with Kuehne+Nagel's carrier service update, published bi-weekly on Sea News and seaexplorer.
New & revised services
Asia <-> Europe
Hapag-Lloyd will relaunch its service connecting China, West Africa, and Germany in June. The carrier says its lean port rotation will support schedule reliability for shipments on this service.
- Carrier service name: China Germany Express (CGX)
- Port rotation: Yantian - Singapore - Tema - Wilhelmshaven - Antwerp - Yantian
- First sailing: Express Argentina from Yantian on 16 June
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Intra-Mediterranean/Black Sea
Hapag-Lloyd announced a revised port rotation for its Adriatic Sea Express service by including Piraeus and removing Istanbul. In addition, the service will call Rijeka before Ancona.
- Carrier service name: Adriatic Sea Express (ADX)
- Port rotation: Piraeus - Alexandria - Damietta - Koper - Rijeka - Ancona - Venice- Piraeus
- First sailing: Charm C from Piraeus on 9 June
North Europe <-> Mediterranean/Black Sea
In May, CMA CGM and ONE replaced Thessaloniki with Piraeus on their service between North Europe and the Mediterranean as follows:
- Carrier service name: FEMEX1 (CMA CGM), NTX (ONE)
- Port rotation: Gemlik - Piraeus - Aliaga - Salerno - Tangier - Felixstowe - Antwerp - Rotterdam - Hamburg - Marsaxlokk - Ambarli - Gebze - Gemlik
- First sailing: CMA CGM Montoir from Gemlik on 23 May
Maersk's TP20 is coming to an end
Maersk will begin winding down its TP20 service between Asia and the US East Coast around mid-June.
According to Maersk, the ripple effects of the Red Sea situation, including delays and capacity constraints, meant it needed to reorganise its network.
- Last sailing from Asia: BSG Barbados ETD Shanghai on 13 June.
- Last sailing from North America: BSG Barbados ETD Newark 17 July
Hapag-Lloyd launches shuttle service between Ukraine and Romania
On 27 May, Hapag-Lloyd launched a vessel service between Chernomorsk Firshport Terminal, Ukraine and DP World's Constanta terminal, Romania.
The shuttle service departs from these two ports every five days. Furthermore, it offers rail connections at the ports, avoiding congestion inland.
The service to/from Chernomorsk complements Hapag-Lloyd's service from inland port Izmail and Constanta via the Sulina Strait launched last April.
In a message to Shipping Watch, Maersk confirms it also offers an option to/from Chornomorsk Fishport. Unlike Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk will discontinue its barge service between Constanta and Reni(via the Sulina Strait) on 15 June.
Gemini will leverage advanced technology to meet reliability goals
In a news update, Maersk highlighted the use of advanced technology such as the Internet of Things(IoT), digital twins and artificial intelligence (AI) in meeting its +90% reliability goals set by the Gemini Cooperation. The network will use the hub-and-spoke model to deliver its ambitious reliability goals, competitive transit times and global coverage.
The cooperation said it would manage this by using hubs controlled and owned by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.
In its article, Maersk notes that its APM terminal facilities will increase the capacity of hubs by 30% to meet the needs of the Gemini network.
Furthermore, the digital assets would be connected to physical assets, continuously improving the hub's reliability and efficiency. This also assists in immediately detecting problems and supporting fast-acting solutions limiting disruptions. According to the article, APM Terminals has already installed IoT sensors and devices on 2,500 port equipment.
Regarding digital twins, the digital representation of an asset, several hubs already use this technology. By February 2025, digital twin technology will be available at all hubs, helping to identify vulnerabilities and predict the outcome of test situations.
Lastly, AI tools will be used for berth planning and yard optimisation, which Maersk said allows for the selection of the best process for service delivery.
