The Port of Antwerp has announced that it is 'extremely pleased' with the recent announcements made by the P3 Network, the alliance between the three largest container shipping companies Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM, in which the alliance 'clearly opts' for Antwerp as a European platform.
In recent months the alliance between the three groups has led to a centralisation on a number of sailing areas, the results of which have proved to be favourable for the Belgian port.
For example, on the route from the Far East the Scheldt port gets an extra call and it goes from three to four of the total of eight calls that remain. Moreover, for one service Antwerp is also the first port of call, which is an extra boost, while on the Transatlantic route, the number of calls to Antwerp is retained.
“Such a strong representation in the P3 Network proves that the three largest container shipping companies in the world are confident of the strengths which our port has,” said Marc Van Peel, chairman of the Antwerp Port Authority.
Meanwhile, the port has said that it is 'very pleased' with a test trip to Antwerp taken by the 18,000 TEU Mary Maersk, one of the largest container carriers in the world, the first time that a vessel of such capacity and dimension has called at the port.
“A first of this scale offers the indisputable proof that even the very largest container ships can call at Antwerp,” declared Port Authority CEO Eddy Bruyninckx.
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