In response to ongoing port congestion across Europe since April 2025, Maersk has announced an adjustment to its AE5 service to help maintain schedule reliability and mitigate delays caused by the recent surge in demand.
Starting week 35, the AE5 rotation will include Aarhus and Gothenburg, with Hamburg now being called before Bremerhaven.
The first vessel to follow the updated rotation will be the Morten Maersk, calling Aarhus on 1 September 2025. The revised service route is as follows:
Qingdao – Yantian – Tanjung Pelepas – London – Hamburg – Bremerhaven – Aarhus – Gothenburg – Rotterdam – Tanjung Pelepas – Qingdao
This strategic reconfiguration reflects Maersk’s commitment to reducing volatility in customer supply chains and improving resilience across its East-West Network.
The decision was also informed by the operational advantages of the APM terminal in Aarhus, which offers a strong geographic position and robust handling capabilities.
These benefits allow Maersk to recalibrate its shuttle services across Europe, deploying them more effectively to areas experiencing higher disruption risks.
