Soren Toft, CEO of MSC, has explained the reasons why the Swiss-Italian shipping line exited 2 million Gemini alliances with Maersk Line and Hapag-Lloyd.
Speaking at the International Association of Ports and Harbour (IAPH) World Port Conference in Hamburg, Germany, Toft said MSC wants to stand alone.
“We will be in charge of our destiny so that we can provide the speed, agility, and decision-making to our clients that we want,” he said.
Currently, MSC boasts over 6.1 million TEUs in total container capacity, commanding 20 percent of the global market share. Additionally, it holds the largest order book among its competitors, further solidifying its leadership in the industry.
MSC boss said the new network will ‘offer clients a lot of direct port pairs and a lot of choices’.
“We believe that this will offer ourselves and our clients the best flexibility that we possibly can,” he said.
Read also:MSC MAUREEN: How largest containership berthed in TICT
The Swiss/Italian ocean carrier aims to provide more direct services with a claimed 1,900 direct port combinations.
Meanwhile, Gemini Cooperation, formed by Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, confirmed that it will start operations with the Cape of Good Hope service network in February.
In early September, the new alliance presented two alternative options: Trans-Suez Network and Cape of Good Hope Network. With the Red Sea crisis still ongoing, the two partners have decided to proceed with the Cape of Good Hope network in the first weeks of their cooperation.
MSC will also provide options for both the Suez Canal and Cape of Good Hope routes, depending on the evolving situation in the Red Sea.
Toft, however, believes there will not be any short-term solution on the horizon to guarantee safe passage through the Suez Canal.
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