Maersk ships shuttle empty boxes

Maersk ships shuttle empty boxes    Maersk said five ships that had been laid up in Scotland for the past year are being used to reposition containers from North America back to Asia.
   The five B class ships, which Maersk said have nominal capacity of about 4,500 TEUs, had been laid up in Loch Striven for 12 months.
   The ships are heading back into service and initially will move empty containers from North America to the Far East where there is an acute shortage of equipment.
   'Maersk Brooklyn had 1,000 40-foot containers on board and it's vital that we get this equipment back into service to ensure we're able to keep our promises to our customers,' said Annemette Jepsen, managing director, Maersk Line U.K. and Ireland.
   Maersk said initial concerns surrounding the condition of the anchors in the thick mud of the loch and possible obstructions proved unfounded, and the final two vessels have been moved a short distance from the loch to Greenock, Glasgow, to have their hulls scrubbed clean of marine growth in a chemical-free process.
   Over the next few days, class inspections will be taking place where representatives from Wartsila will ensure the ship’s engines are in working order. The vessels will finally leave Scotland on July 12.