“Combining the strengths of Hamburg Süd and Maersk, we can offer our customers a best-in-class stand-alone service configuration,” says CCO Frank Smet.
Hamburg Süd, in cooperation with Maersk, will be expanding the services offered between Europe and Central America, the Caribbean and the west coast of South America beginning in June.
“Combining the strengths of Hamburg Süd and Maersk, we can offer our customers a best-in-class stand-alone service configuration without having to depend on vessel-sharing agreements with other shipping companies,” said Hamburg Süd Chief Commercial Officer Frank Smet. “This allows maximum flexibility towards the needs of the trade and our customers because we can design and operate the systems totally independently.
“This also allows us to make seasonal adjustments to cater to specific cargo flows — for example, to reduce transit times for perishables or to call different ports on a direct basis if there is sufficient demand from our clients to do so,” Smet said.
Smet said the new stand-alone service, SAWC1, will provide:
• Fast, direct connection between the Chilean ports of San Vicente and San Antonio and North Europe;
• Improved links to the global network through the hub ports of Balboa, Cartagena and Manzanillo, and customers will have access to the Maersk Group network, including U.S., Russian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ports;
• And increased South American port coverage with multiple services moving through the west coast of South America.
Eight post-Panamax ships will be deployed on the service. Each will have 1,400 reefer plugs.
In addition, Hamburg Süd will continue to have access to the existing Eurosal service (SAWC2), providing coverage for ports in Colombia and the Dominican Republic, while also maintaining a direct connection to/from the French port of Le Havre, Smet said.
The first northbound sailing of the SAWC1 service is scheduled for June 10, with the Luna Maersk departing from San Antonio. The first southbound sailing is the Lexa Maersk, with an estimated departure from Antwerp on June 6.
