Maersk The Global Shipping Line Is To Discontinue Its New Zealand Coastal Service Just Eight Months After Its Introduction

Maersk the global shipping line is to discontinue its New Zealand coastal service just eight months after its introduction. The big sky blue ships called on smaller ports to drop off and pick up freight. Maersk has called on the Government to “rethink” the supply chain to better connect the country through multi-modal transport routes to limit impacts from severe weather and other external shocks. Maersk’s Oceania chief My Therese Blank says additional labour is needed to increase the number of cranes used to work ships and improve productivity. The coastal service used two vessels and 60 New Zealand crew and Maersk was in discussions with unions to identify alternative employment opportunities, The coastal service will be replaced from next month with an upgrade to its Polaris trans tasman service.