Network of the future

Maersk is progressing the design of a best-in-class ocean network that will deliver on the needs of our customers through industry-leading reliability, geographical reach, and speed to market.

Customers can expect:

• A robust mainliner network supplemented by agile shuttle loops
• A goal to deliver schedule reliability of above 90% once the network is fully phased in
• Seamless connections to a wide range of transportation products and logistical services
• Market-leading transit times across strategic corridors

To deliver this new network we have entered a long-term operational collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd called the Gemini Cooperation. The network will be implemented from 1 February 2025, immediately after the conclusion of the 2M Alliance.

From 1 February 2025, the scope of the new network will be East-West with a total of 58 services and around 6,000 port-to-port combinations.

Full scope of our new cooperation will cover the following East West trades :

• Asia – North Europe
• Asia – Mediterranean
• Middle East – Europe
• Middle East, India - Mediterranean
• Asia – Middle East
• Asia – US East Coast
• Asia – US West Coast
• Transatlantic

Gemini is the Latin word for twins. It was chosen to reflect the like-mindedness between Maersk and our partner Hapag-Lloyd.

To meet our goal of improving service quality and reliability, our new network design will consist of:

• A robust mainliner network supplemented by agile shuttle loops
• Loops with fewer port calls to limit the potential for disruption
• Simplified vessel operator structures with either Maersk or Hapag-Lloyd as the sole operator on most mainliner services
• Higher share of calls through APM Terminal facilities, which offer market-leading productivity, reliability, and connectivity.

Our aim with this network is to offer market competitive transit times across strategic corridors. We will also meet our customers capacity needs, while increasing our ability to adjust and grow this capacity to meet demand fluctuations.

The decision on CBER has no impact on our new network. As the European Commission has stated, the expiry of the block exemption does not mean that cooperation between shipping lines becomes unlawful under EU antitrust rules. As of April 2024, all operational agreements follow the same rules as those of other cooperations in other industries, which means that we will self-assess.

There are several elements that will define this new partnership and network, namely industry-leading reliability, geographical reach, and speed to market. It will also offer our customers easier access to Maersk’s wider range of transportation products and logistical services. Importantly, it will be designed to support our decarbonisation journey and ambition to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Additionally, this new network will allow for more optionality, allowing you to better plan your supply chain moves with routing options that give you more speed and reliability.

With the new operational collaboration between Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, a combined fleet pool of 290 vessels will be deployed, offering a capacity of 3.4 million TEU.

Maersk has and will continue to make strategic fleet investments. We have 24 newbuilds on order with innovative, efficient designs that are all methanol capable. These will represent 9% of our global fleet and accommodate our growth ambitions. This additional capacity has been carefully considered and matched to the needs of our customers.

The network is designed to achieve above 90% schedule reliability once fully phased in through:

• Commitments on quality transportation
• Loops with fewer port calls to limit the potential disruptions
• Simplified vessel operator structures with Maersk or Hapag as the sole operator on most mainliner services, reducing operating complexity
• Higher share of calls through the APM Terminals’ hubs, which provide market leading productivity, reliability and connectivity

Maersk has made and continues to make strategic investments to make sure this new network delivers on reliability, flexibility, and sustainability. We are carefully planning and testing the new network to ensure it is successfully implemented from February 2025. We will also work closely with Hapag-Lloyd to ensure our operational collaboration supports the network’s success.

The hubs for our network of the future will be owned or managed by Hapag-Lloyd or APM Terminals, which have consistently invested in enhancing their capabilities. Already, we have seen the productivity of APM Terminals’ hubs increase by an average of 5% over 2022 and 9% over 2023. This is expected to improve even further with systems and processes being upgraded to ensure the greatest speed and efficiency possible, and to reduce any risk of disruption.

When disruptions do arise, these hubs are being optimised to ensure we will have the ability to respond with agility, so any issues can be swiftly isolated and any operational bottlenecks contained so that they do not affect the rest of the network. 

The aim of this operational collaboration and new network is not to increase costs. We will continue to set prices independently at competitive levels in line with the value our products and services provide to our customers.

This new network will make it easier for customers to access Maersk’s wider range of transportation products and logistical services, including landside connections. For the most part, customers will experience improved landside connections.

In the event of any changes to landside connections, we will ensure we give customers as much notice as is reasonably possible.

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have the most ambitious decarbonisation targets in the industry, aiming for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and 2045 respectively. Given this, there is no better strategic match to support our efforts to decarbonise shipping. This cooperation does not affect our targets, which remain unchanged.

However, the new network aims to provide a more fuel-efficient setup that will reduce the greenhouse emissions per transported container already in 2025 and both parties are committed to continue to drive further efficiency in the years to come. 

Our future network is being designed with sustainability front of mind. We will ensure it continues to support our goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Not only that, but we also want to make sure that the network enables our customers to achieve their own sustainability goals. As part of our future network, our customers will have access to our greener solutions, including EcoDelivery, greener fuel solutions, consultancy and more, helping them progress on their own sustainability goals.

Hapag-Lloyd is an ideal partner for Maersk. We are like-minded companies with a shared ambition and commitment to quality. Together, our goal is to deliver a network with premium reliability and efficiency.

Our asset bases in vessels and terminals are complementary and give us the right scale to meet our customers’ needs, with the space for growth.

We are also aligned on sustainability and share a commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, by 2040 for Maersk and 2045 for Hapag-Lloyd.

One of the reasons we have chosen to partner with Hapag-Lloyd, is our alignment on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) objectives.

Maersk is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and Hapag-Lloyd has the same ambition for 2045. We are equally committed to embedding sustainability into our new network, and ensuring it helps us progress towards our respective sustainability goals.

We also want to support our customers in progressing on their sustainability targets. As part of our future network, our customers will continue to have access to our greener solutions, including EcoDelivery, greener fuel solutions, consultancy and more.

Our service to customers will continue along existing agreements until the 2M Alliance concludes at the end of January 2025. MSC remains a valuable partner and we look forward to continued collaboration for the remainder of the 2M Alliance, followed by a smooth transition to the new network.

The transition to a new network is being carefully planned and we will endeavour to make it as simple and smooth as possible for our customers.

2M has helped us to serve our customers since it was introduced in 2015. Operating conditions and our customers’ needs have changed significantly over that time. Our new network design will be optimised to meet the needs of our customers - from February 2025 and into the future. The goal is to offer industry-leading reliability, geographical reach, and speed to market. At the same time, we will continue meet our customers’ capacity needs and progress on our decarbonisation ambitions.