Americas News
Maersk Line Limited Buys Eight Larger, More Fuel-Efficient Vessels
Maersk Line Limited (MLL) says it has purchased eight "newer and larger" containerships with better fuel efficiency at a total cost of about $500 million to improve its ocean transportation services.
The ships are about 10 years younger than the vessels they will replace, allowing the company to provided more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly options for its U.S. military, government, and commercial customers.
"These eight newer vessels, along with the global transportation network that connects them, demonstrate our commitment to our customers," said president and CEO John Reinhart.
"MLL is focused on continual improvement, and these ships will further increase reliability and shrink our environmental footprint."
The company, a U.S.-based subsidiary of the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group (Maersk), is reflagging the ships as U.S. vessels, which will start service between now and June.
Reflagging a ship ensures that it meets the stringent safety, environmental, operational and compliance standards required by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and other U.S. maritime authorities, it said.
The eight ships will be part of the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) and will join MLL's weekly Middle East Container Line service (MECL1), providing service between the U.S. East Coast and Pakistan, including a new stop in Algeciras, Spain.
The names of the new vessels are Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Memphis, and Pittsburgh.
Last year, MLL won the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)'s first ever global certificate for energy management for a shipping line based on the Guide for Marine Health, Safety, Quality, Environmental and Energy (HSQEEn) Management.
