Maersk adding service to Asia/Middle East

Maersk adding service to Asia/Middle East Maersk Line's massive network restructure will extend to the Asia/Middle East trade in March and April, with a new service and expanded geographical coverage on its existing loops.
   The new FM5 service will start March 5 and offer a direct service from East and South China to the Red Sea region. Confirmed port calls on the FM5 are Yantian, Shanghai and Ningbo in China and Salalah and Jeddah.
   For its existing services, Maersk will introduce direct Japan coverage on its Asia/Middle East/Asia/U.S. West Coast TP9/FM1 pendulum service, and direct calls to Korea on its Asia-North West India and Pakistan service (FM3). Changes to these services will happen in early April.
   'The above changes will not add capacity to any of the mentioned trades, but will offer an increased number of direct corridors as well as improved transit times,' Maersk said.
   The Danish mega-carrier is also reworking its service network in the major east/west trades, among others, following its somewhat turbulent integration of P&O Nedlloyd.