Maersk shifts Asia/Med calls

Maersk shifts Asia/Med calls    Maersk Line said last week it is shifting Mediterranean calls on three of its Asia/Europe services, two of which it runs in conjunction with fellow container line CMA CGM.
   The Danish carrier said it will switch a call at Piraeus from its AE12 service (which CMA CGM calls PHEX) to its AE11 service (which CMA CGM calls MEX 2). The AE11/MEX 2 connects the Med with a host of ports in China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East and is operated with 10 vessels (eight from Maersk and two from CMA CGM) with an average capacity of 8,302 TEUs, according to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data.
   Meanwhile, Maersk will swap its call at Gioia Tauro from the AE11/MEX 2 to its standalone AE6 service between Asia, the Middle East and Med. The AE6 (operates with 14 Maersk vessels) continues on to become the carrier's TP6 service to the U.S. West Coast. Maersk subsidiary Safmarine is a slot buyer on the long-line service.
   Finally, the AE12 (operated with five CMA CGM ships, and two each from Maersk and Safmarine) will add calls at two calls in Trieste while deleting the Piraeus call.