Maersk has announced that, in view of the «ongoing schedule reliability considerations», it is implementing specific measures to improve schedule reliability in its AE7 service on the Far East Asia to North Europe network.
«As a result of high yard density and exceptional waiting time for our vessels in the port of Hamburg, Maersk has decided to omit Hamburg on the next six voyages and divert the discharge moves on these voyages into Bremerhaven NTB. We aim to minimise the impact to our customers by securing alternative routings.»
At the same time, the recent flooding in central Europe is disrupting rail transport. Maersk is advising customers that «freight trains to/from Germany are operating in very limited capacity and speed with unpredictable transit time. For imports we are trying to keep up to date information in e-Maersk with expected arrivals to our inland depots.»
It advised that if customers need to rebook their export containers to a later vessel, they will be notified.
In terms of import shipments, it says that they will not be accepted from German ports until further notice, unless customers are willing to pay a premium for ordering a direct truck.
Flooding in mid-July caused by heavy rains and overflowing rivers has devastated towns across western Germany and Belgium, as well in as Austria, parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who described the extent of the destruction as «immense,» told the Bild am Sontag newspaper that at least €300m euros (£353m) of emergency aid would be provided to help in the near term. He pledged billions more for «a reconstruction program so that the destroyed houses, roads and bridges can be quickly repaired».
