COPENHAGEN: Maersk Line’s first vessel, the Susan Maersk arrived back at Southampton port at 00:29 as part of the container shipping company’s new East West Network, a global shipping service that connects Europe, North America and Asia.
The vessel, 347 meters long and capable of carrying over 10,000 twenty foot containers, is calling in Southampton as part of a voyage that saw her leave Ningbo in China on 17 January. After discharging cargo including electronics, chemicals and auto parts, she will continue to Le Havre, Antwerp and Felixstowe before heading back out to the Far East.
Brian Godsafe, Managing Director of Maersk Line UK and Ireland, said: “We’re pleased to be able to offer businesses on the South coast of the UK an alternative mainline port. Our new network provides our UK customers with more services to and from the markets that matter in the Far East and having a call in Southampton offers flexibility to local businesses.”
The new call has been designed to service businesses based in the South West of the UK. Felixstowe will continue to be the major focus for customers based in the rest of the UK.
Maersk Line is the world’s largest container shipping company. It provides ocean transportation in all parts of the world.
Maersk Line is part of the Maersk Group, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. It markets its services through the following brands: Maersk Line, Safmarine, MCC Transport (Intra-Asia), Seago Line (Intra-Europe), Mercosul (Brazil), and SeaLand (From 2015 Intra- Americas). The Group employs about 88,900 people in 135 countries in total. 2013 revenue: $47 billion.
