Weekly Supply Chain Update: 1

Maersk Expands ME2 Container Service to Key North European Ports

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A.P. Moller - Maersk has opted to enhance its ME2 container service by incorporating port calls to strategic destinations in North Europe. Specifically, starting from the third week of April, Maersk will integrate Rotterdam, Felixstowe, and Bremerhaven into the ME2 service rotation. The updated port rotation of the ME2 service will be as follows: Port Tangier (Morocco) – Algeciras (Spain) – Rotterdam (Netherlands) – Felixstowe (UK) – Bremerhaven (Germany) – Port Tangier – Salalah (Egypt) – Jebel Ali (UAE) – Mundra (India) – Nhava Sheva (India) – Port Tangier.

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Yang Ming Bolsters Far East-South America Network

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Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. has unveiled plans to overhaul its Far East - East Coast of South America network. The Taiwanese shipping company intends to bolster the existing SA3 service and introduce a new service named SA5, effective from early May. Through the addition of the SA5 service, Yang Ming aims to fortify its current service network and offer customers a more extensive delivery service across FE-ECSA markets. The service route will encompass: Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou – Singapore - Rio de Janeiro – Santos – Paranagua – Itapoa – Navegantes – Santos – Colombo – Singapore – Hong Kong – Qingdao.

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Surge in Carbon Emissions Due to Red Sea Conflict

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The Red Sea conflict has resulted in a significant surge in carbon emissions in ocean freight container shipping, according to data released by Xeneta. For containers transported by sea from the Far East to the Mediterranean, the CEI (Carbon Emissions Index) indicates a 63% increase in carbon emissions in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023. Likewise, carbon emissions rose by 23% from the Far East to North Europe. This surge can be attributed directly to the conflict in the Red Sea region, which intensified in December and led to most ocean freight container services bypassing the Suez Canal due to the threat posed by the Houthi militia.

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Continued Maritime Threats

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The Red Sea conflict has resulted in a significant surge in carbon emissions in ocean freight container shipping, according to data released by Xeneta. For containers transported by sea from the Far East to the Mediterranean, the CEI (Carbon Emissions Index) indicates a 63% increase in carbon emissions in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023. Likewise, carbon emissions rose by 23% from the Far East to North Europe. This surge can be attributed directly to the conflict in the Red Sea region, which intensified in December and led to most ocean freight container services bypassing the Suez Canal due to the threat posed by the Houthi militia.

A recent spate of attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean has brought an end to a two-week period without reported attacks on merchant shipping by the Houthis. US forces intercepted an anti-ship ballistic missile that was aimed at the 2500 TEU container vessel "Maersk Yorktown". The vessel, which is US-flagged, is owned and operated by Maersk in the US.

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Weekly Spotlight: The Suez Canal - A Maritime Linchpin

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The Suez Canal, operational since 1869, serves as a critical waterway, offering the shortest maritime route between Europe and the Indian Ocean/Western Pacific regions. Spanning 193 km, its construction began in 1859 and required significant labor. The Suez Canal was shut down by the Egyptian government and blocked on each side by scuttled ships and mines. The blockage started in 1967 and was due to conflict between Egypt and Israel. Astonishingly, 15 international shipping vessels were moored at the canal’s midpoint and remained stranded for eight years.

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