Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd charter more ships ahead of Gemini launch

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have been chartering more ships to expand their fleets ahead of the launch of their tie-up, Gemini Cooperation, in February 2025.

Maersk took Conbulk Management’s 2004-built 2,478 TEU Portsmouth for two years for US$24,250/day. The Danish carrier also fixed Goldenport Group’s 2007-built 1,819 TEU San Alberto, MPC Group’s 2007-built 1,713 TEU AS Serena and Peter Doehle’s 2006-built 1,578 TEU Annaba for eight months to a year, at daily rates ranging from US$17,500 to US$20,500.

Linerlytica’s report stated, “Maersk has been particularly active in the last month, including forward fixtures extending into 1Q 2025 as it tries to secure ships to cover its tonnage requirements for next year when the new Gemini Cooperation is scheduled to start from February.”

While Linerlytica mentioned that Hapag-Lloyd had chartered Seaspan Corporation’s 2018-built 10,100 TEU Laem Chabang Express for US$32,000 a day for 94 to 100 months, a spokesperson for the German carrier told Container News that Hapag-Lloyd chartered the ship back in 2022 as part of a broader fleet expansion strategy, which included a package of ships secured for long-term charters at attractive rates, with delivery scheduled in 2024.

She said, “These charters were agreed upon independently of any considerations regarding the Gemini Cooperation.”

In contrast to MSC and Premier Alliance (to be rebranded from THE Alliance), Gemini is touting a hub and spoke concept involving dedicated shuttle services using feeder ships.

A spokesperson for Maersk told Container News, “In addition to the mainliner services, we have introduced a whole new concept of shuttle services, e.g., 13 new services in Europe and 12 in Asia. These shuttle services will provide extensive intraregional support to the mainliners.”

Source: Container News

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