Maersk has upgraded its ME2 ocean service, extending its reach to three new destinations in North Europe. Effective from the third week of April, the ME2 service now includes port calls to Rotterdam, Felixstowe, and Bremerhaven.
The new port rotation of the ME2 service is as follows: Port Tangier – Algeciras – Rotterdam – Felixstowe – Bremerhaven – Port Tangier – Salalah – Jebel Ali – Mundra – Nhava Sheva – Port Tangier.
According to the shipping company, this extension of the ME2 service to key destinations in North Europe will benefit North India’s exporters, particularly those in the lifestyle and retail sectors. With upgraded service, manufacturers and exporters will get expedited access to important consumer markets in North Europe.
The transit times for ocean transports between Mumbai ports and North Europe have been shortened by five to seven days.
In the same way, on the backhaul from North Europe to India, the importers for the automotive sector will benefit from quicker transit times for automotive components coming into India.
Despite the expansion, the nominal capacity of the weekly ME2 service remains unchanged. Maersk will add two additional vessels to the rotation to accommodate the extended coverage in North Europe.