Maersk slows FM3 again

   After nine months on a seven-week rotation, the ocean carrier Maersk Line has further slowed its FM3 service between Asia and the Indian Subcontinent in order to skip a sailing position from India in March.
   American Shipper reported April 12, 2012 that the FM3 had slowed to a seven-week roundtrip voyage time and added a call at Shanghai, with transit times eastbound to Asia from the Indian Subcontinent increasing by about seven days. Now eastbound transit times to China and South Korea have increased once again as vessels slow-steam one extra week between Singapore and Xingang, China.
   The service is scheduled to skip one sailing position commencing Pipavav, India, on March 15.
   The rotation of the FM3 remains Pipavav, Nhava Sheva, Karachi, Colombo, Port Kelang, Singapore, Xingang, Gwangyang, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo, and Pipavav.
   The service is scheduled to operate with eight vessels (five from Maersk, two from partner CMA CGM, and one void sailing) with a reduced average weekly capacity at present of 5,554 TEUs. Maersk subsidiary Safmarine continues to take slots on the FM3. – BlueWater Reporting, Ben Meyer