Maersk/Seago slow Europe/Med loop, add Limassol

   The ocean carrier Maersk Line, along with its intra-Europe affiliate Seago Lines, has added a new port call at Limassol, Cyprus, and a fifth vessel to their weekly “North Sea” service between North Europe and the East Mediterranean. 
   Roundtrip voyage time on the North Sea has increased from 28 days to 35 days, and transit times in both directions have been increased by a few days, now taking 11 days between Antwerp and Alexandria, Egypt, and 10 days between Ashdod, Israel, and the first port inbound to North Europe at Felixstowe. 
   The revised rotation of the North Sea service is Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Haifa, Limassol, Alexandria, Ashdod, and Felixstowe. The service is currently operated by five Maersk vessels with an average capacity of 4,278 TEUs. Hamburg Sud, its subsidiary line Alianca, and Hapag-Lloyd will continue to purchase slots on the North Sea service, though the terms of Hapag-Lloyd’s agreement limit the carrier to calls at North Europe and Alexandria only. 
   Maersk and Seago offer no other services that call Haifa, Limassol, Alexandria, or Ashdod to or from North Europe directly. Hamburg Süd, however, along with subsidiary Alianca, offers direct calls at Alexandria and Limassol from Felixstowe, Antwerp and Hamburg on its weekly North Europe-South Mediterranean service, on which Hapag-Lloyd also takes slots. – ComPair Data, Ben Meyer