SAFMARINE TO SWITCH TO MAERSK’S EUROPE/INDIA SERVICE

SAFMARINE TO SWITCH TO MAERSK’S EUROPE/INDIA SERVICE    Safmarine and Maersk Sealand will operate a joint Europe/Middle East/Indian Subcontinent service from July, once Safmarine has left the Europe, Pakistan, India Consortium in the same trade.
   The move to a joint service between Safmarine and Maersk Sealand — two affiliates within the A.P. Moller group — follows last week’s announcement by CMA CGM, Contship Containerlines and P&O Nedlloyd that they would operate a revised joint service called “Europe, Pakistan, India Consortium 3” (EPIC 3) from July, without the participation of Safmarine and Andrew Weir Shipping’s Ellerman subsidiary.
   Safmarine said that it resigned from the consortium.
   Safmarine and Maersk Sealand will market independently their joint Pakistan-Red Sea-India-Middle East-Europe service. Safmarine said that it will provide two of the six post-Panamax ships in the service, and Maersk Sealand will provide four vessels of the same type.