Maersk Line is introducing slower sailing speeds on one of its Europe and Middle East routes. "To improve the product offering to our customers, we will phase in larger ships, substituting the present 5,500 TEU (twenty foot equivalent) vessels with 6,250 TEU vessels," said a statement from Maersk.
"To further improve the schedule reliability of the service, an additional vessel will be added in order to provide sufficient buffer in the schedule for operational contingencies. "These changes will allow us to run the vessels at an optimal speed."
The statement went on: “The reduced speed on the [service] will not only ensure a more reliable service to our customers, but it will also provide more environmentally friendly transport due to the reduced emissions.”
Maersk Line, the world's leading container shipping company, said in December it was planning changes to some of its routes to improve reliability and save bunker fuel.
Among the steps it was planning to take, it said, was the introduction of slower speeds. Its latest announcement refers to its ME3 service between Europe and the Middle East.
This changes will begin on 7 June, with the Maersk Kensington departing from Algeciras. Maersk says the complete phase-in should be done within four weeks.
The port rotation remains the same, except for the addition of a call at the Moroccan port of Tangiers.
Several major shipping lines have backed slower sailing as a way of saving fuel and cutting emissions.
Adolf Adrion, a member of the executive board of Hapag-Lloyd AG, said early this year that he “did not expect to see full-speeds again".
The president of the NYK shipping line, Koji Miyahara, has also backed slower sailing speeds. He estimated that speed reductions could cut bunker consumption by over 25%.
"To further improve the schedule reliability of the service, an additional vessel will be added in order to provide sufficient buffer in the schedule for operational contingencies. "These changes will allow us to run the vessels at an optimal speed."
The statement went on: “The reduced speed on the [service] will not only ensure a more reliable service to our customers, but it will also provide more environmentally friendly transport due to the reduced emissions.”
Maersk Line, the world's leading container shipping company, said in December it was planning changes to some of its routes to improve reliability and save bunker fuel.
Among the steps it was planning to take, it said, was the introduction of slower speeds. Its latest announcement refers to its ME3 service between Europe and the Middle East.
This changes will begin on 7 June, with the Maersk Kensington departing from Algeciras. Maersk says the complete phase-in should be done within four weeks.
The port rotation remains the same, except for the addition of a call at the Moroccan port of Tangiers.
Several major shipping lines have backed slower sailing as a way of saving fuel and cutting emissions.
Adolf Adrion, a member of the executive board of Hapag-Lloyd AG, said early this year that he “did not expect to see full-speeds again".
The president of the NYK shipping line, Koji Miyahara, has also backed slower sailing speeds. He estimated that speed reductions could cut bunker consumption by over 25%.