Danish company Maersk Line has announced changes to one of its services in a bid to enhance port coverage and cater for 'dynamic growth' in the market.
The group has reacted to strong demand in the Europe/West Central Asia trade as well as in the Mediterranean/Black Sea region by reintroducing the ME3 service, which was temporarily withdrawn in 2009.
According to Maersk Line, the new ME3 is designed for direct Turkey coverage with a call in Ambarli, and has a port rotation of Pipavav, Jawaharlal Nehru, Jebel Ali, Salalah, Port Said, Ambarli, Gioia Tauro, Port Said and Jebel Ali.
The first effective vessels in the new rotation are the Nedlloyd Asia 6LF/1006, which departs Nhava Sheva on 11 April for the westbound journey, and the Nedlloyd Asia 6LF/1009, departing Ambarli on 30 April.
In connection with the reintroduction of ME3, the group has said that it will further implement enhancements on its ME1 service, removing calls at Gioia Tauro and Port Said and adding Algeciras and Aqaba.
'With the upcoming changes our customers will likewise experience improvements to our Intra Middle East services as they will provide more frequent departures from west and north India to Jebel Ali and the ports served from there,' a group statement read. 'Similarly, we will be able to offer an additional weekly sailing from the Gulf area to Pipav and Jawaharlal Nehru.
'The addition of Aqaba to the ME1 rotation will enable a fast and direct service from Jordan to Jebel Ali and west and north India,' Maersk Line added.
Meanwhile, the shipping group has also revealed that it is adjusting its Trans-Pacific 6 service to add a direct, all-water call from South Vietnam to the US West Coast, becoming to firth carrier to introduce the 'Post-Panamax' class (9,000 TEU vessels) to Vietnam.
