OREANDA-NEWS. With the new service Maersk returns to Liverpool after more than a decade and launches its first ever direct service to Dublin.

Providing a direct service between the British Isles and Algeciras to connect to the whole of Mediterranean and North Africa, the newly announced Irish Sea product into Liverpool and Dublin compliments the existing network and offers improved transportation solutions for serving local markets.

Operated by Seago Line, the Intra-European shipping expert and part of the Maersk Group, the new service further allows easier access to other trades and helps sister companies Maersk Line and Safmarine deliver for their customers in the North West of England and Ireland. Most notably, the new short sea service creates a great opportunity for a West Africa product offering with a new transshipment option to connect both markets to Nigeria.

“We are thrilled to offer a new service and expand our product portfolio for both countries”, shares Seago Line General Manager for UK & Ireland Robert Clegg. “With competitive transit times and convenient berthing windows, we are well-placed to serve customers who seek new opportunities through this Mediterranean connection. Furthermore, our customers located in the Liverpool hinterland can now access South European and North African markets with Seago Line as a complimentary addition to our existing offer, while for Irish cargo this becomes an attractive alternative to the current feeder option via Rotterdam.”

With the introduction of Seago Line’s Irish Sea service, Maersk Group returns to Liverpool with a direct product after a 10 year absence. At the same time, it will be Maersk Group’s first ever direct connection to the Irish capital, supplementing the existing Latin American service to Cork operated by Maersk Line. Brian Godsafe, Managing Director at Maersk Line UK & Ireland comments: “This service is a positive addition to our current portfolio.  The Irish Sea feeder offers flexibility to customers in and around the Liverpool area. It is also a major change for our Irish customers, who will now receive a faster and direct product to better serve their import and export needs.”

The new service will offer 6 days transit time between Algeciras and Liverpool and 7 days between Algeciras and Dublin. The first call to Liverpool is planned on April 13th and to Dublin on April 14th.

About Seago Line

Seago Line is a dedicated intra-European carrier offering short sea and feeder container shipping services in Europe — from the Black Sea through the Mediterranean to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. With more than 300 employees and 40 offices, Seago Line focuses on running an extensive shipping network with high-quality equipment, maintaining operational flexibility and reliability and taking care of its customers. It runs 62 vessels covering more than 70 ports, creating one of the most extensive route networks in the region. Seago Line was established in 2011 and is a fully-owned subsidiary of Maersk Line.

About Maersk Line

Maersk Line is the world’s largest container shipping company, known for reliable, flexible and eco-efficient services. We provide ocean transportation in all parts of the world. We serve our customers through 324 offices in 115 countries. We employ 7,600 seafarers and 23,200 land-based employees and operate 590 container vessels. We market our services through the Maersk Line, Safmarine and SeaLand (Intra-Americas) brands. Maersk Line is the holding company for MCC Transport (Intra-Asia) and Seago Line (Intra-Europe). Maersk Line is part of the Maersk Group, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Group employs over 88,000 people in some 130 countries. 2015 revenue: USD 40.3 billion.