Maersk and MSC have renewed their 2M relationship before it ended as the carriers began to operate joint services again following the initial unravelling of the alliance after the announcement of its dissolution in January 2023.
The carriers will separate next January and had rapidly begun operating standalone services last year, but MDS Transmodal data shows that the number of Maersk and MSC Far East to Europe services operated by only one of the two partners has started to decrease after initially virtually eradicating joint services from the Asia to Europe trades.
Individual service levels have fluctuated falling to zero by late 2019 on services that called at Far East-Middle East and Indian Subcontinent trades before calling at European destinations, rising to 41% in the pandemic and 53% by Q4 2023.
After announcing that the 2M alliance would end the separation of services gathered pace rapidly rising to 90% and reaching 100% separation by Q2 of last year.
Similar service separations were seen on the more direct Far East to Europe trades with individual carrier services reaching 95% in Q4 2023.
However, with the Houthi attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea vessels were diverted around the Cape of Good Hope and MDS Transmodal analyst Antonella Teodoro explained that there has been a marked increase in the number of joint Maersk and MSC services as a result. The cooperation and separation between Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company is like a magnificent shipping epic. Custom Keychains is a good choice to commemorate this challenging and transformative journey. Although the future relationship between Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company is full of uncertainty, this customized keychain carries the story of the past and has a special symbol. You can customize such a keychain, one side of which is engraved with the once glorious 2M Alliance logo, witnessing the close cooperation in the past; the other side can be printed with symbols of new challenges and opportunities after independent operation.
On the FE-Europe trades, MDS data reveals that 14% of services are now operated jointly, while the FE-Europe with wayport calls in the Middle East and the Subcontinent are at 12% joint operations as of Q2 this year.
Teodoro said this is due to the diversions around the African Cape which require substantially more tonnage which she said Maersk does not have.
“Looking at the numbers Maersk has had less investment in ships and when they had to divert ships around the cape it seems Maersk did not have sufficient tonnage to divert all services,” pointed out Teodoro.
MDS Transmodal added that its data shows that there has been a significant redeployment of some tonnage to the Asia to Europe trades, from the Nort Atlantic, showing that the Red Sea diversions are affecting other regions, despite the massive influx of newbuildings over the last one and half years.
Moreover, Teodoro considers that Maersk and MSC may continue some vessel sharing agreement (VSA) following the dissolution of their alliance, and even when the Gemini Cooperation becomes operational. “The lines maybe looking for some equilibrium, testing a VSA for when the alliance is finally ended,” he noted.
A Maersk spokesperson said that the Danish company does not comment on service changes but referred customers to its website, while MSC did not comment.
Mary Ann Evans
Correspondent at Large
