Understanding why we need a new Europe - Middle East - India direct shipping service?
Global shipping group Maersk Line’s ships and bulk carriers are already a common sight in ports across the world. The company has recently announced plans for a new direct shipping service to link key locations in the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East to Europe, bringing another carrier option to a potential new audience and delivering greater flexibility to existing customers.
The Europe, Indian sub-continent, Middle Eastern route has seen increasing requests from exporters and importers to offer additional flexibility and carriage options, especially after the mid-2008 decision by 19 key container shipping firms across the rout to increase rates by €200 per 20-foot equivalent unit, or TEU.
The service, called ME2, is being offered as a slot agreement using the Mina Service from the United Arab Shipping Company and will connect the important western Mediterranean locations of Valencia, Genoa and Barcelona to ports in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India. The direct coverage will deliver a return provision, with the westbound service launching from Nhava Sheva, India’s largest port, on the 19th September and the eastbound service from Genoa in Italy starting on the 21st September.
Danish-based Maersk Line will introduce this new service as a core part of its continuing focus on offering greater flexibility, opportunity and reliability to its worldwide customer base. In a statement, Maersk said the ME2 offer is set to provide a number of advantages over currently-available services, with superior transit times and high schedule reliability guaranteed.
The cargo shipping rate in to and out of key ports in India saw a 25% increase in 2007 and, while the increase is not continuing to the same extent as we’re in the thick of the global economic downturn, BRIC countries remain a core territory target for a vast cross-section of multi-national businesses as we see the green shoots of recovery.