Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd begin “Gemini” collaboration on Saturday

Some 340 container vessels will ultimately sail in combined network, as ships phase in to their new schedules between February and June.

maersk and hapag lloyd container ships at dock

Marine container carrying giants Maersk A/S and Hapag-Lloyd AG will begin their collaborative “Gemini Cooperation” project on Saturday, saying they will combine forces to deliver a flexible and interconnected ocean network with schedule reliability above 90% once it’s fully operational.

Around 340 vessels will ultimately be part of the shared ocean network, with the first sailings taking place on February 1, and more vessels gradually sailing on the new schedules over time.


That transition period is expected to last until late May, with vessels phasing into the new network, and out of the expiring agreements that Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have with other carriers. June will be the first full month in which the network is fully phased in with all vessels sailing on Gemini schedules, Maersk said.

“We are now ready to commence the phase-in of the new network. Over the last year, we have carefully planned this to ensure that all our customers experience a smooth transition into the new network. With its innovative design, we believe our customers will benefit from increased reliability, flexibility, and more competitive products,” says Johan Sigsgaard, Chief Product Officer of Ocean at Maersk.

According to Hapag-Lloyd, the new “innovative” hub & spoke network will generate “massive service improvements” in terms of reliability and connectivity.

That approach could also help to offset continued delays from geopolitical violence, as most global shipping lines continue to avoid the Suez Canal due to the threat of missiles flying in the Red Sea as a consequence of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Indeed, the Gemini network will also re-route away from the Mediterranean Sea by sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. The two partners say they will continue to monitor developments in the region and their impact on security, and only return to the Red Sea once it is safe to do so.

“Thanks to our effective hub & spoke operating system, we can deploy larger vessels and thus simultaneously optimize speed, reduce idling times, and thereby cutting down on carbon emissions. All of this saves our customers a lot of time and resources,” Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, said in a release.

More Stories

containers stacked on a ship in harbor

Average container transit time in Q4 climbed from 60 days to 68 days

Businesses dependent on ocean freight are facing shipping delays due to volatile conditions, as the global average trip for ocean shipments climbed to 68 days in the fourth quarter compared to 60 days for that same quarter a year ago, counting time elapsed from initial booking to clearing the gate at the final port, according to E2open.

Those extended transit times and booking delays are the ripple effects of ongoing turmoil at key ports that is being caused by geopolitical tensions, labor shortages, and port congestion, Dallas-based E2open said in its quarterly “Ocean Shipping Index” report.

Keep ReadingShow less
cargo handling cranes at a port

Port of Savannah got four more ship-to-shore cranes on Saturday

The Port of Savannah received four collossal new electric ship-to-shore cranes on Saturday, bringing its total to eight and soon enabling the Georgia facility’s Ocean Terminal to service two vessels simultaneously.

The Super Post Panamax cranes were all designed by Finland-based Konecranes. The specific manufacturer of the cranes is significant in an era where U.S. security agencies have warned in recent months that the Chinese-made cranes currently installed at most U.S. cargo ports pose cybersecurity and espionage risks if hackers tapped into their networked sensors to monitor details of cargo port operations.

Keep ReadingShow less
trucks at Port Houston

Port Houston passes $1.1 billion for contracts with small, minority, and women-owned businesses

Port Houston has awarded more than $1.1 billion to date in contracts with Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (S/MWBEs), helping to fuel collaboration and to build economic wealth in its communities, the port said today.

According to Port Houston, its Business Equity Program provides resources, mentorship, and access to procurement opportunities, helping businesses thrive. That initiative has been driven by the collective impact of Port Houston’s Small Business Development Program, established in 2002, and its Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Program, launched in 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less
patrick fuchs

Trump names new heads of federal transportation panels

Among the flurry of orders he issued in the hours after his inauguration, incoming President Trump has named new leaders for two critical federal agencies overseeing transportation and freight flows.

Trump named Patrick Fuchs as chair of the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and Louis Sola as chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

Keep ReadingShow less
photo of containers at port of montreal

Port of Montreal says activities are back to normal following 2024 strike

Container traffic is finally back to typical levels at the port of Montreal, two months after dockworkers returned to work following a strike, port officials said Thursday.

Canada’s federal government had mandated binding arbitration between workers and employers through the country’s Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) in November, following labor strikes on both coasts that shut down major facilities like the ports of Vancouver and Montreal.

Keep ReadingShow less