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Ocean Update
Transatlantic update: European import demand into North America continues to hold up, please book at least three weeks ahead to secure space or consider our SPOT product to secure your space online. We’re experiencing bottlenecks in select services due to draft restrictions in Salerno, while on the landside we have some truck power constraints in the Netherlands. Capacity is opening up on our North Europe and Mediterranean trades into the U.S., though northern European ports are still recovering from a recent labor disruption and space into the U.S. Gulf and West Coasts remain tight.
On our Europe to Canada trade, capacity varies by specific routes/destination due to, for instance, low water in rivers or connected services so please liaise with your Maersk representative about the most suitable/available routing options.
Transpacific update: Transpacific imports remain strong despite the typhoon season across Asia which has built up shipment backlogs and likely will take several weeks to clear. A resilient retail peak season plus rising demand for AI data center and power generation equipment is driving elevated volumes. Gemini Cooperation’s schedule reliability came in at 95.7% into the North America West Coast and 93.5% into the North America East Coast in the latest Sea-Intelligence report, well above industry averages of 69.7% and 71.5%. Gemini has scheduled two Transpacific blank sailings around Golden Week on the TP8 and TP12 services, see our customer advisory for details.
India, Middle East and Africa update: Demand into North America remains strong while capacity stays limited, so book at least six weeks ahead, with space expected to be especially tight through September. Our direct service into Canada is also constrained by low water levels, and our ocean plus inland option via the U.S. remains constrained through the same period. As we previously shared, our MECL service has resumed transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Suez Canal, cutting transit times by eight days.
Within Africa, West Africa foodstuff and cut flower flows remain steady, East Africa apparel and textile volumes are strong into both U.S. coasts, and South Africa’s citrus season is driving strong reefer demand into the U.S. and Canada. Space is tight across the board, so book early, and if you have urgent cargo, talk to your Maersk representative about options to secure priority space.
Intra-Americas: Starting the week of September 7, we’re adjusting our Intra West Coast network to offer shorter, more direct routings. A new West Coast Shuttle will connect Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas to Balboa and Posorja. On our WCCA2 service, Corinto is coming out of the rotation while Puerto Quetzal stays in. On WCCA1, Puerto Quetzal is coming out while Corinto and Acajutla are added as northbound and southbound calls. If you route cargo through any of these ports, check with your Maersk representative to confirm how the change affects your routing and transit times.
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