Maersk adjusting Asia/Australia operations

Maersk Line announced Wednesday it will revamp its Asia/Australia operations next month by bringing three weekly services into a single pendulum rotation called the Boomerang Service.

The new loop will start Sept. 27 using 10 as yet unspecified vessels of about 4,300-TEU capacities, which Maersk said would offer the optimal combination of efficiency through size and ability to operate at economical speeds.

The full rotation of the Boomerang will be: Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle, Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and back to Yokohama.

At the same time out will go three services, AU1 (North Asia to/from Australia), AU2 (East Asia to/from Australia), and AU3 (South East Asia to/from Australia), that collectively use 14 ships.

The AU1 and AU2 are run in partnership with Mediterranean Shipping Co., which markets them as Wallaby and Panda, respectively. The AU3 has APL, Evergreen Line, and Hamburg Sud taking slots. All four carriers will take space on the Boomerang.

Details of the existing loops are:

   AU1/Panda: Five Maersk ships of about 4,300 TEUs on a rotation of Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Busan, Kwangyang, Shanghai, Ningbo, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Yokohama.

   AU2/Wallaby: Five MSC ships of roughly 2,400 TEUs calling Xiamen, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Xiamen.

   AU3: Four Maersk vessels (two of 4,112 TEUs and two of 4,367 TEUs) calling Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, Fremantle, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle and Tanjung Pelepas.

   Maersk Line will offer its customers a comprehensive and consistent coverage through a single and effective product. Furthermore, the new schedule will ensure an increased reliability, Maersk said in a statement.

   The Danish carrier has two other services in the Asia/Oceania trade, the NZ1 service links Tanjung Pelepas and Singapore to New Zealand via Brisbane, and the NZ3, a Japan, Korea, China to/from New Zealand service operated by COSCO, MOL and NYK.