Jakarta added to Maersk/MSC’s Boomerang

   The shipping companies Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co. have added a call at Jakarta, Indonesia, and an 11th vessel to their weekly “Boomerang” loop running from Japan and North Asia to Australia, continuing to Southeast Asia and back to Australia and North Asia. 
   Round voyage time was increased from 70 to 77 days.
   The Boomerang rotation now includes Yokohama, Osaka, Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle, Jakarta, Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Yokohama, 
   Of the total 11 average 4,432-TEU vessels, six have Maersk names, three are named for Maersk subsidiary Safmarine, and two for MSC,  MSC only participates on the leg between North Asia and Australia, although its ships follow the full round voyage. Carriers only taking slots on Boomerang are Hamburg Süd, Alianca, ANL, APL, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, and “K” Line.
   The new call at Jakarta is Maersk’s only direct connection to the port from Australia, but MSC’s Capricorn service calls Jakarta on its way to Fremantle, Melbourne, and Sydney, as well as on its return northbound from Brisbane, with transit times that are similar to Boomerang’s. Maersk also purchases slots on “K” Line’s dedicated Singapore-Fremantle WASCO shuttle service. — ComPair Data, Ben Meyer