Maersk Line launches Marus Express, a direct ocean container service between Morocco and Russia, Tom Hyldelund, Managing Director of Maersk ZAO said on Monday, PortNews reports. The official presentation of the new line was held today in St. Petersburg.
The service rotation includes the ports of Kasabalnka, Agadir and container terminal Petrolesport (part of Global Ports Investments Plc) at the Big Port of St. Petersburg. The service offers weekly calls using three ice-class vessels of the total capacity of 800 TEUs, including 200 reefer containers.
The line will enable exports of fruits and vegetables to Russia. In addition, Maersk is considering other opportunities to use this line, including the transit of goods from Russia to Africa.
From Dec,2009 to date Petrolesport terminal has been handling container ships of Maersk Line’s ECUBEX service connecting South America and Russia. The containerships are carrying cargoes of Russia's largest banana trader JFC Group (JFC).
Petrolesport (PLP JSC), part of Global Ports Group, is a stevedoring company operating at the Big Port of St. Petersburg. The company provides services for handling a broad range of goods (refcontainers, Ro-Ro cargo, timber, general cargo). PLP JSC is a leading private company in container handling in the North-West region of Russia.
Global Ports Investments Plc. is a leading container and oil products terminal operator in Russia and the Baltic States, respectively, by gross throughput. The Group is owned by N-Trans, the largest private transportation and infrastructure group in Russia.
A.P. Moller - Maersk Group’s Maersk Line is one of the leading liner shipping companies in the world.The Maersk Line fleet comprises more than 500 vessels and a number of containers corresponding to more than 1,9 million. The company has offices in 125 countries worldwide.