Maersk Line announced revisions to its trans-Pacific network services, including changes to services operated under a Vessel Sharing Agreement with Mediterranean Shipping Company and CMA-CGM, as well as other independent trans-Pacific products.

'In response to the challenges facing ocean carriers as a result of the global economic downturn, we must continually look at ways to reduce our cost and increase efficiency without significant impact to our customers. We have made good progress in a number of areas, and this revision to our network is a logical next step,' said Bill Woodhour, North America Sales Manager for Maersk Line.

By the end of September 2009, the current Trans-Pacific 2 (TP2) will be replaced by other strings in the Trans-Pacific network and replace most of the ports formerly covered by the suspended TP2. Adjustments to other Trans-Pacific (TP) strings, particularly TP5 and TP8, will ensure continued coverage of the TP2 eastbound scope. TP2's westbound scope will be covered by TP6, TP5 and TP7.

'The feedback we receive from our customers ensures that when we revise our network, we continue to provide products that give our customers comprehensive service coverage and continue our focus on service reliability and on-time delivery. The changes we are implementing will accomplish this, while scaling our ocean network to meet the anticipated demands of the market,' continued Woodhour.

Maersk Line's TP5 service will continue to offer a dynamic product covering China, South Korea and Japan and will now call Long Beach, California. With a deployment of five vessels, ports of call eastbound include Kwangyang, South Korea; Busan, South Korea; Qingdao, China; Nagoya, Japan; Yokohama, Japan; Long Beach, California; Oakland, California; and Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Going westbound, the service will call Long Beach, California; Oakland, California, Dutch Harbor, Alaska; Yokohama, Japan; Kwangyang, South Korea; Busan, South Korea; and Qingdao, China. Prior calls at Shimizu and Kobe, Japan will be assigned to other Maersk Line services.

Improvements to the TP7 product will provide efficient access to South China, while removing a call at Busan, Korea. This product will originate at Yantian, Hong Kong servicing eastbound, in rotation, Yantian, China; Hong Kong, China; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Yokohama, Japan; Balboa, Panama; Miami, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina; and Newark, New Jersey. The westbound rotation includes Newark, New Jersey; Savannah, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Balboa, Panama; Los Angeles, California; Oakland, California; Yantian, China; Hong Kong, China; and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. This service will leverage the efficiencies of slow steaming and increased vessel deployment of twelve vessels to improve service reliability and the overall scope of the service.

Maersk Line's TP8 service will be improved to occupy the TP2 favorable window in Shanghai. It will make calls in Waigaoquao Yangshan. The service will call Los Angeles. Serviced by five vessels, this rotation will call Dalian, China; Xingang, China; Shanghai, China; continuing to Ningbo, China; Los Angeles, California; and Oakland, California.

'We are able to make revisions to our product to best suit the needs of our customers and the demands of the trade. Maersk Line continues to demonstrate flexibility and we shall continue watching market developments closely and adjust our product offering accordingly,' further comments Woodhour.