Maersk adjusts Europe-Middle East network

   The ocean carrier Maersk Line said this week it is adjusting its service network on the Europe-Middle East trade from the end of February.
   Maersk said it will start a new service on the Middle East-Mediterranean trade, dubbed ME2, from Feb. 26.
   The rotation will be Jebel Ali, Salalah, Jeddah, Tangiers, Algeciras, Valencia, Barcelona, Jeddah, Salalah, and Jebel Ali.
   Meanwhile, the carrier said it’s amending the rotation of another service that connects India and the Middle East with Northern Europe, the line’s ME1 loop. As of April 4, the rotation will become Felixstowe, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Aqaba, Jeddah, Jebel Ali, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Salalah, Jeddah, Algeciras, and Felixstowe.
   The new rotation will include a switch of Indian ports, from Pipavav to Mundra, as well as a switch from Zeebrugge to Antwerp. The service is currently operated with seven vessels, all from Maersk, with an average capacity of 6,840 TEUs.
   In other service news from Maersk, the line said it will add a new southbound at Manzanillo (Mexico) to its WCCA service between Los Angeles, Mexico and Central America.
   The revised rotation, as of Feb. 17, will be Los Angeles, Manzanillo (Mexico), Lazaro Cardenas, Puerto Quetzal, Acajutla, Corinto, Balboa, Caldera, Acajutla, Puerto Quetzal, Lazaro Cardena, Manzanillo (Mexico), Ensenada, and Los Angeles. — Eric Johnson