Maersk Line has suspended its Asia-North Europe AE-9 loop less than two months after reactivating the service as load factors for carriers continue to disappoint.
The fate of the seven 4,500-7,500teu ships deployed on the loop is uncertain; however it is most likely that they will be added to the fleet of laid-up container tonnage.
Back in November 2012 Maersk topped the idled tonnage list which it attributed at the time to the temporary removal of its AE-9 service.
Maersk’s action in pulling the AE-9 loop suggests that forward booking prospects after the Chinese New Year are much softer than anticipated.
Furthermore it puts more pressure on the carrier in its Daily Maersk aspirations given that there are now only five loops to cover the guarantee compared to seven at the time of its launch in September 2011.
According to the latest data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the number of containerships in hot or cold lay-up stands at 303 for 497,352 slots.
The fate of the seven 4,500-7,500teu ships deployed on the loop is uncertain; however it is most likely that they will be added to the fleet of laid-up container tonnage.
Back in November 2012 Maersk topped the idled tonnage list which it attributed at the time to the temporary removal of its AE-9 service.
Maersk’s action in pulling the AE-9 loop suggests that forward booking prospects after the Chinese New Year are much softer than anticipated.
Furthermore it puts more pressure on the carrier in its Daily Maersk aspirations given that there are now only five loops to cover the guarantee compared to seven at the time of its launch in September 2011.
According to the latest data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the number of containerships in hot or cold lay-up stands at 303 for 497,352 slots.
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