Maersk and Herbrot plan to carry out operational cooperation

Maersk Limited (hereinafter referred to as "Maersk")plans to launch a long-term operational collaboration plan called "Gemini" with Herbert AG (hereinafter referred to as "Herbert") starting from February 2025. This new collaboration plan aims to provide customers with high-quality container liner services through a flexible and interconnected operational network and high availability.

Herbert CEO Rolf Hubben Jansen said, "Collaborating with Maersk helps us further improve the quality of service to our customers. In addition, collaborative operations will improve operational efficiency and promote the shipping industry to achieve decarbonization goals."

Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said, "Herbert is the ideal partner for our strategic development. This partnership plan will help us provide customers with more flexible network services, which is expected to improve the industry's schedule standards. This will help us improve comprehensive logistics services to meet customer needs."

The collaborative plan is operated by approximately 290 ships with a total capacity of approximately 3.4 million TEUs, of which 60% are invested by Maersk and 40% are invested by Herbert.

It is expected that in the future, when the overall cooperation is fully implemented and operated, the punctuality rate of the shipping schedule will exceed 90%. Benefiting from the world's leading port to port connectivity in major trade channels, it improves transportation cycles and provides customers with better quality services.

Maersk plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, while Herbert plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045, and both sides will continue to work towards achieving their respective decarbonization goals.

Due to the launch of the new collaboration plan, Herbert will withdraw from the THE liner alliance on January 31, 2025. Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping announced in January 2023 that they will terminate their cooperation with the 2M liner alliance in January 2025.

In 2024, both parties will properly handle the transition from the existing liner alliance to the new collaboration, and at the same time, the services provided by both parties to customers in the current alliance will not be affected.

The specific operational arrangements and new shipping schedules of the Gemini Collaboration Plan will be announced in the future.

Brief information on the new collaboration plan

·Both parties plan to start operating this long-term new collaboration in February 2025. Both teams have professional operators responsible for managing the operation of the network.

·Maersk and Herbert have the freedom to deploy capacity within or outside the scope of cooperation to meet the needs of their respective customers.

·One of the main goals of collaboration is that when the collaboration is fully implemented and operated in the future, the punctuality rate of container ships can reach over 90%. Both parties will support the achievement of this high goal with a strong management system and compliance.

·Collaboration will rely on the rich global shipping network, port resources, and experienced logistics professional teams of both parties. The collaborative plan is operated by approximately 290 ships with a total capacity of approximately 3.4 million TEUs, of which 60% are invested by Maersk and 40% are invested by Herbert.

·This collaboration will involve seven major trade channels, including transatlantic, Asia West America, Asia East America, Asia Middle East, Asia Mediterranean, Asia Nordic, and Middle East/India Europe.

·Both parties plan to operate 26 trunk services on the seven major trade channels mentioned above, which are complemented by flexible and fast shuttle services on a global scale, as well as a strong terminal transfer service system, including terminals owned or controlled by both parties. As an extension of the backbone network, the shuttle network assists future maritime networks in achieving comprehensive coverage.