MAERSK Line is to sell slots on its OC1 service between Australia/New Zealand and Central/East Coast North America to rival CMA CGM ahead of MSC’s early February launch of its new Eagle service.
Maersk currently sells MSC 525 TEU of slots each way on each voyage of the weekly OC1, the equivalent of 8,400 tonnes per vessel northbound and 7,350 tonnes per vessel southbound, including 100 reefer spots per round-trip, according to US Federal Maritime Commission filings.*
Maersk announced yesterday [15 December] that from the northbound voyage of the 3,028 TEU Oluf Maersk at Port Botany 20 January and the reciprocal southbound voyage from Philadelphia 3 March it will be “offering space to CMA CGM” through a slot charter agreement “subject to fulfilling regulatory obligations”.
“We will continue to maintain a strong focus on providing high quality, stable and reliable service with weekly space guarantee for our customers,” the line said. “Maersk will continue to fully own and operate the Oceania service.”
While there has been no filing on the FMC website yet, sources suggest CMA CGM is unlikely to be buying all MSC’s slots on OC1 but will use the space to relieve pressure on its PAD service, operated in conjunction with Marfet (as NASP), especially during peak kiwifruit export season ex NZ. PAD/NASP operates to/from ANZ and Europe, via ECNA each way and South Pacific southbound, also weekly.
MSC’s Eagle is due to launch on 1 February on a rotation of Port Botany, Melbourne, Brisbane, Tauranga, Wellington, Rodman, Cristobal, Philadelphia, Savannah, Freeport, Papeete, Auckland, Port Botany.
The Eagle schedule lists eleven ships from 2,556 TEU to 4,043 TEU, with refer capacity ranging from 586 TEU to 1,109 TEU, giving a clear indication of the Swiss carrier’s target market in a direct attack on Maersk and CMA CGM/Marfret.
* The total allocation is split as follows: (a) from the US Atlantic Coast to ANZ, a maximum southbound allocation of 275 TEU or 3,850 tonnes (whichever is used first) and to the U.S. Atlantic Coast from Australia/New Zealand, a maximum northbound allocation of 275 TEU or 4,400 tonnes (whichever is used first), with the allocation in each direction to include 100 reefer plugs; and (b) from Colombia/Panama to ANZ, a southbound allocation of 250 TEU or 3,500 tonnes and to Colombia/Panama from Australia/New Zealand, a northbound allocation of 250 TEU or 4,000 tonnes MSC may utilize slots within its allocation to move containers between the US Atlantic Coast and Panama/Colombia.