Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have lifted reliability and speed on the Gemini network, sustaining 90 percent schedule reliability a year after launch while reinforcing key Asia-North Europe and Mediterranean trades.
Targeted optimisations, rolling out from April 2026, improve coverage, shorten transit times and enhance service robustness across the network.
On Far East-North Europe routes, NE2 adds a direct call at Antwerp to expand Benelux and European access, while NE3 introduces a Ba! rotation calling Aarhus and Gothenburg, with Southampton as the final European outbound call to Asia.
Yantian replaces Ningbo in the Asian rotation, offering better Pearl River Delta connectivity.
NE4 reverts to its previous rotation without the Baltic loop, creating one of the fastest direct Ningbo Germany connections.
Mediterranean services see faster, more resilient operations.
SE1 adds Algeciras in both directions, streamlining Adriatic connections, while SE3 upgrades to 20,000 TEU vessels with a simplified rotation and dedicated Istanbul/Izmit shuttles.
Port Said and Damietta are included to support schedule reliability.
Transpacific and Transatlantic adjustments remain unchanged to ensure continuity.
Hapag-Lloyd is also launching Service Explorer, an interactive digital tool offering data-driven insights across its network, including routings, connections and transit times, improving transparency and ease of planning for customers.
Recently, Maersk and Hapag- Lloyd have decided to change the routing of one of their shared services under the Gemini Cooperation transitioning it through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
ONE revamps Northern Europe- Mediterranean connections
Ocean Network Express (ONE) is reshuffling its intra-European service network covering trade between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
The carrier confirmed revisions to its Levant Express (LEX) service, and the launch of a new Aegean Express (AEX) service on the same trade lane.
ONE said the adjustments are aimed at refining its network in line with shifting cargo flows between the two regions.
Both services are designed to strengthen its intra-European offering, with a focus on North- South connectivity, competitive transit times and improved schedule reliability.
The updated LEX service will operate on a weekly basis.
Its first sailing will be Vuoksi Maersk 614S, with an estimated time of arrival at Tilbury on 28 March 2026.
Rotation: Tilbury – Rotterdam -Bremerhaven-Antwerp-Alexandria -Egypt Terminal (TBA)- Tilbury
The new AEX will operate on a weekly rotation, with its first sailing on the Sofia Express 613S, with an estimated time of arrival at Felixstowe on 25 March 2026.
Rotation: Felixstowe – Ham-burg-Bremerhaven – Antwerp Piraeus-Izmit-Istanbul-Gemlik Aliaga-Felixstowe
ONE recently published its financial results for the third quarter of FY2025, covering the period from October to December 2025.
The carrier reported revenue of $4.07 million during the quarter and posted a net loss of $88 million.
CMA CGM launches Ocean Rise Express to Europe
CMA CGM Group has launched Ocean Rise Express (OCR), a weekly service linking Japan and South China directly with North Europe.
The Asia-Europe corridor remains central to the Group’s East West network, and OCR adds dedicated capacity on the trade.
The service will deploy a fleet of 14 vessels ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 TEU, including one 8,000 TEU LNG-powered containerships.
The service provides direct calls from Yokohama and Yantian to North European gateways.
Transit times are 38 days. from: Yokohama to Rotterdam, 41 to Hamburg and 45 to Southampton.
From Yantian, transit times are 32 days to Rotterdam, 35 to Hamburg and 38 to Southampton.
Operated solely by CMA CGM, OCR is positioned around schedule reliability and competitive transit times, offering a direct routing designed to support predictable end-to-end flows.
The inaugural sailing is scheduled for 2 April 2026, with the following rotation: Kobe – Nagoya- Yokohama – Xiamen – Yantian – Hamburg – Southampton – Nansha – Kobe.
Bo Wegener, Chief Executive Officer, CMA CGM Asia Pacific, said: “The launch of Ocean Rise Express highlights the strategic importance of the Asia-Europe trade within CMA CGM’s global network.
The enhanced Asia-Europe connectivity underscores our commitment to delivering greater value and reliability to our customers, while further strengthening our position as a trusted partner in global trade.
Recently, CMA CGM announced a reorganisation of its services between the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East and East Africa.
Port Houston posts record January TEUS
Port Houston has handled 370,034 TEUS in January, the biggest January container volume on record and à 4 percent increase from the same month last year.
The increase in containers was driven by gains in both loaded imports and loaded exports moving through the Houston Ship Channel, with each up 5 percent compared to January last year.
Import volumes remained steady across multiple sectors, while export growth continued to be led by petrochemical products and resins that make up a significant share of outbound containers.
Port Houston handles about 60 percent of US resin exports, and that share is expected to grow as additional packaging capacity comes online.
Phase 1 of Packwell’s new 725,000-square-foot resin packaging facility near Port Houston’s Bayport Container Terminal was recently completed.
The facility features direct rail access to unload hopper cars and includes high-speed and packaging equipment, along with warehousing and transload capabilities adjacent to the marine terminal complex.
The added capacity is expected to reduce costs and strengthen connectivity to Port Houston’s global network of carrier services.
In addition to growth in resin exports, refrigerated imports and exports moving through Port Houston are also e trending upwards.
Refrigerated container traffic at the Port rose 13 percent in 2025, supported by established cold-chain infrastructure and US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA- APHIS) cold-treatment certification.
This approval allows Port Houston to receive shipments that complete the prescribed cold-treatment process while intransit, improving supply chain efficiency and expanding access to key perishable commodities.
Charlie Jenkins, CEO of Port Houston, said: “We’re seeing solid demand across both of our public container terminals and a wide range of cargo moving through the Houston gateway.
“That demand is showing up across our operations, including a record single-day total of 16,438 truck transactions at our container terminals in January.
Vessel movements along the Houston Ship Channel are also off to a steady start this year, with arrivals up 2 percent.”
Elsewhere across the port’s public terminals, cargo performance was mixed. Steel imports declined 35 percent to 213,653 short tonnes in January, reflecting broader trends tied to lower drilling activity as measured by the Baker Hughes rig count.
General cargo volumes increased 27 percent in January.
Across all cargo categories, Port Houston handled 4.5 million short tonnes for the month, a 6 percent increase compared to January last year.
Earlier this year, Kaleris completed a multi-phase deployment of its RTG Optimisation (RTG-O) solution at Port Houston, which operates two of the nation’s busiest container terminals.
Asia-US rates fall as New Year slows demand
Asia-US East Coast container rates dropped 12 percent last week to about US$3,000 per FEU, returning to early December levels as Lunar New Year factory closures slowed demand, reports New York’s Freight Waves.
Asia-North Europe rates fell five percent to $2,400 per FEU, while Mediterranean lanes declined four percent to $3,600 per FEU, still above December levels.
Freightos, a contributor to then SONAR data platform, said the holiday period traditionally dampens transpacific volumes.
The Trump administration also released its long-delayed Maritime Action Plan, proposing port fees of one to 25 cents per kilo on foreign-built vessels. Analysts estimated charges could range from $150 per FEU at the low end to $3,750 per FEU at the high end.
Freightos analyst Judah Levine said trade diversification is reshaping flows, with carriers shifting capacity to Far East-West Africa lanes as demand rises.
He noted this trend may be contributing to recent service reductions on the transatlantic.
In a major industry deal, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd agreed to acquire Israel’s Zim for US$4.2 billion.
The acquisition will not change Hapag-Lloyd’s rank as the fifth-largest carrier but will bring its combined capacity with Zim closer to China’s Cosco, currently fourth with more than three million TEU.
Mr Levine said the added capacity will strengthen Hapag- Lloyd’s market share, particularly on Far East-North America and transatlantic routes, as competition intensifies among global carriers.
Hapag- Lloyd appoints new Board Chairman
The Supervisory Board of Hapag-Lloyd AG has elected Karl Gernandt as Chairman with immediate effect.
He succeeds Michael Behrendt, who is temporarily unable to perform the role due to health reasons.
Behrendt will remain a member of the Supervisory Board.
The Board stated that the decision does not diminish Behrendt’s contribution and expressed its intention to revisit the Chairmanship following his recovery.
Following his appointment, Gernandt stepped down as Chairman of the Audit and Financial Committee.
The role has been assumed by Oscar Eduardo Hashún Martínez, a member of the Supervisory Board since 2014.
Separately, Francisco Pérez Mackenna resigned from the Supervisory Board as a representative of CSAV shareholders, effective 1 February 2026.
He has been succeeded by Macario Valdés Raczynski, who was appointed to the Board by the Hamburg Local Court on 13 February 2026.
Recently, Hapag-Lloyd and DSV signed a two-year Ship Green framework agreement covering 18,000 tonnes of Scope 3 CO2e reductions on a well-to-wake basis from 2026.