Maersk slows FEW2 again

   The ocean carrier Maersk Line has once again added a 12th vessel to its weekly FEW2 service between Asia and West Africa, increasing roundtrip voyage time from 77 days to 84 days. 
   Transit times eastbound from West Africa to Asia on the FEW2 have increased by about seven days as vessels slow steam one extra week between Walvis Bay, Namibia and Maersk’s mega-regional hub in Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia. Eastbound now takes 23 days as opposed to 16 days westbound. 
   American Shipper reported April 12 that Maersk had resumed an 11-week roundtrip voyage time on the FEW2 after having slowed the loop to 12 weeks one month earlier (reported by American Shipper Feb 28). 
   This latest slowdown comes shortly after Maersk’s decision to adjust both of its other weekly Asia-to-West Africa services, slowing the FEW1 by one week westbound and increasing capacity on the FEW3 by almost 24 percent (reported by American Shipper June 14). 
   The rotation of the FEW2 remains Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Walvis Bay, Apapa, Tema, Walvis Bay, Tanjung Pelepas, Xiamen, Fuqing, and Busan. The service currently operates with 11 vessels from Maersk and one from subsidiary Safmarine, with an average capacity of 4,497 TEUs. – ComPair Data, Ben Meyer