Regional shipping line Safmarine has announced plans to merge its Prime 2 service connecting south and east Indian Subcontinent with North Europe into AP Moller-Maersk Group’s Asia–Europe network from early February, Cargonews Asia reports. Kris van den Brande, Safmarine’s trade director, said the restructuring decision was in line with the group’s rationalisation and optimisation plans will result in improved port coverage and reliability of Safmarine’s services out of South India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
”Our customers in the Indian Subcontinent will benefit from improved transit times on the AE7 service’s new direct call in Colombo (transit time between Colombo and North Europe will improve by two to three days), while Safmarine’s Northern Europe export customers to the Indian Subcontinent will be covered by a direct call in Colombo [on the AE6 service],” Van den Brande said.
”These changes aim to help establish a more balanced supply/demand scenario within the Far East to North Europe trade.”
In Bangladesh a dedicated feeder link between Chittagong and Tanjung Pelepas will provide access to the Group’s Far East-Europe network and daily departures to the main Northern Europe (NWC) hubs. In South India, the weekly Chennai feeder via Colombo will help to restore the service and transit time reliability.
”Our customers in the Indian Subcontinent will benefit from improved transit times on the AE7 service’s new direct call in Colombo (transit time between Colombo and North Europe will improve by two to three days), while Safmarine’s Northern Europe export customers to the Indian Subcontinent will be covered by a direct call in Colombo [on the AE6 service],” Van den Brande said.
”These changes aim to help establish a more balanced supply/demand scenario within the Far East to North Europe trade.”
In Bangladesh a dedicated feeder link between Chittagong and Tanjung Pelepas will provide access to the Group’s Far East-Europe network and daily departures to the main Northern Europe (NWC) hubs. In South India, the weekly Chennai feeder via Colombo will help to restore the service and transit time reliability.