For the first time, Maersk Line’s throughput in the Port of Qingdao exceeded one million TEU in a single year.
The full-year estimate of Maersk Line’s throughput will be around 1.2 million TEU for 2012, which is around 37% more than the 873,000 TEU of 2011.
Maersk Line’s presence in Qingdao has come a long way. As recently as 1994, the carrier only moved 10,000 TEU. In less than 20 years, this throughput has grown to a million.
In 2004, Maersk Line expanded the service in Qingdao to deploy direct calls for European trades, and later a service was launched between Qingdao and the US West Coast, further strengthening Qingdao’s competitiveness among other ports in North China. There are currently 10 Maersk Line global services calling at Qingdao.
2012 also marks the 120th anniversary of the Port of Qingdao. Having established trade relations with over 450 ports in more than 130 countries and regions across the world, the port is equipped to serve the largest vessels in the world. Today the Port of Qingdao Port is the eighth biggest port in the world.
“We will not take [our customers’] support for granted and we will continue to work closely with all of you to further enhance our services,” said Tim Smith, Head of Maersk Line’s North Asia Regin in a speech that marked the occasion. “Maersk Line will continue to strengthen our position in North China by further optimising our network as well as providing best in class care for our customers so that our valued customers, Maersk Line and the Port of Qingdao will prosper for years to come.”