Sorting out the network


Sorting out the network
News posted on --02 July, 2013
Maersk Line has deployed recently world’s largest container ship in shipping trade. The vessel  is named as “Triple E” because it is specially designed for ‘Efficiency, Economy of Scale, and Environmentally improved’.
The Triple-E is a huge ship, designed specifically to sail from Asia to North Europe, the busiest and longest route in the world, where economies of scale and fuel efficiency matter the most. But with a worldwide fleet, (presently there are more than 500 ships of different types & sizes in  Maersk Line), how does Maersk Line decide which ships to deploy on which routes? Now Maersk Line is working to manage and rearrange its shipping network that suits customers and trade requirements.  
Keeping the fragile balance between supply and demand
Maersk Line has planned to deploy 20 new Triple-E ships to carry goods from Busan of South Korea to Gothenburg in Sweden. This new fleet will ensure economy of scale, energy efficiency and improved environmental impact. Transportation of increased number of containers per trip by Triple-E ship would help the company to save substantial amount of money on account of fuel and safeguard environmental pollution. Is it a risky action to launch world’s largest ship in the trade, when global economy is facing recession? If there is any threat of over tonnage due to depression in seaborne trade, the carrier can cut capacity elsewhere, in order to adjust the fleet to grow in line with the market demand.
Managing capacity around the world
Maersk Line operates more than 100 trades, as they are known in the shipping business, calling at ports in almost every country around the world. More than 600 vessels sail trades worldwide, around 200 of which are owned by Maersk Line with the remainder chartered from leasing partners.
The company keeps a close watch on each trade, managing the network to track which routes are growing and which are shrinking. Vessel deployment (supply) is adjusted according to the cargo that needs transporting (demand) – ensuring that Maersk’s service is both cost effective and environmentally friendly.
Cascading
When Maersk introduces the Triple-E ships on the Asia-Northern Europe loop (AE10), they will replace other vessels which will then be deployed on another trade – where they, in turn, will replace other older vessels. This process is called ‘cascading’.
Sometimes cascading leaves Maersk with vessels that are surplus to its needs. If these are chartered ships, they are generally returned to their owners. If they belong to Maersk’s own fleet, they can be sold or let to other operators, laid up for future use or recycled if they are not up to current fleet standards.
Ultimately the decision depends on a ship’s capacity, efficiency, years of service and environmental performance. In a nutshell, Maersk replaces older vessels with new vessels of latest technology to maintain a modern fleet, capable enough to meet customers need.
The Triple-E, however, will be riding the ocean waves for some time to come – the company expects it to remain in service for the next 25 to 30 years. News update on other events
The first Triple-E vessel is due in June 2013 and will transport cargo on the highly competitive Asia-Europe route to cover more than a dozen ports in a loop between Asia and Northern Europe.
 Facts on Triple E ship and market share of Maersk Line
 Maersk Line will take delivery of the first five (of 20) Triple-E vessels in 2013, deploying them on the Asia-Europe (AE10) route. The AE10 connects Asia to Northern Europe via the Suez Canal. The ports on that route currently are :  Busan (from April 2013) and Kwangyang (South Korea); Hong Kong, Ningbo, Shanghai and Yantian (China); Singapore; Tanjung Pelepas Malaysia); Port Tangiers (Morocco); Rotterdam (the Netherlands); Bremerhaven (Germany); Gdansk (Poland); Aarhus (Denmark); and Gothenburg (Sweden)
Maersk has the largest market share of any container shipping line on the Asia-Europe route, moving 20 per cent of the container cargo from Asia to Europe and 18 per cent in the opposite direction
The Asia-Europe route is Maersk Line’s busiest. It makes up one quarter of Maersk Line business and is worth several billion US dollars.
About Triple-E ship—Answers to probable questions
Why is the ship called Triple-E?
The three Es correspond to the ship’s main attributes:
Economy of scale, Energy efficiency and Environmentally improved.
When are you launching the Triple-E?
The first vessel is scheduled to be delivered on 2 July 2013. It will be launched shortly thereafter. The last one is scheduled for delivery in the Summer 2015.
What’s the capacity of the Triple-E?
18,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (or containers)
How does that compare to existing ships?
Our largest vessels (Emma Maersk class) have a capacity of 15,500 TEU. With 18,000 TEU, the Triple-E offers a 16% increase.
What are the dimensions of the Triple-E?
The Triple-E is 400 metres long, 59 metres wide and 73 metres high.
How does that compare to existing ships?
That’s three meters longer and three meters wider than the Maersk E-class, our largest ship.
What is the weight of the Triple-E?
The pure steel weight of the vessel is approximately 55,000 tons. That does not include ballast water, cargo etc.
How many crew members does it take to operate a Triple-E?
The Triple-E will be manned by 22 crew.
Are crews specially trained to sail the Triple-E?
The crew (engineers and navigators) will receive specific training including five-day simulator training for navigators.
Where will the Triple-E sail?
The Triple-E will sail between Asia and Northern Europe. The list of ports can be found on www.maerskline.com under Services/AE10
What’s new in the Triple-E?
The main innovations are two ‘ultra-long stroke’ engines, an innovative efficient shape and advanced waste heat recovery system saving up to 10% of main engine power.
The Triple-E will have two four-blade propellers instead of the 6-blade larger propeller found on Maersk E-type class vessels.
How much fuel does the Triple-E use?
We expect the daily consumption to be approximately 100 tons.
Where will Triple-E go to refuel?
We predominantly fuel the ships in Rotterdam due to the attractive fuel prices there
What’s the impact of the Triple-E on the environment? 
Shipping is a polluting industry. Maersk Line emits 0.1% of the global CO2 emissions. In 2011 our CO2 emissions amounted to 34 million tons of CO2.
We have invested a lot to improve on those aspects. The Triple-E will consume approximately 35 percent less fuel per container than the 13,100 TEU vessels being delivered to other container shipping lines in these years.
It will be approximately 20% more fuel efficient than Maersk E-type class vessels, which are currently our best performing ships.
It will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 50% per container moved, compared to the industry average CO2 performance on the Asia-Europe trade.
It will come with a ‘Cradle to Cradle passport’ which is a database describing the material composition of the main components of the ship. The passport will be kept updated throughout the lifetime of the ship, and it will enable better recycling of the materials used to build the ship.

How fast does it sail?
The Triple-E will sail an average speed of 16 knots (=30 km/hour). This means the Triple-Es will be be slow steaming, like the other vessels on the AE10 string where they will be deployed. The slower the ship sails, the less fuel it will burn. It is cost and energy efficient and better for the environment.
How long does it take to sail from Asia to Europe on a Triple-E?
It takes 24 to 25 days to sail from Shanghai to Rotterdam on the current trade (AE10).



Largest container ship of the world
"Triple-E"- Largest container ship of the world













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