Maersk Line, a global containerized shipping carrier, announced a new Flagship import service direct from Asia to five key markets in North America: Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Memphis, and Northwest Ohio.
In 2011, Maersk Line announced “Absolute Reliability,” its Daily service in the Asia-Europe trade. This model, based on total transportation time and cargo arriving at a promised delivery date, is designed to streamline supply chains and improve time to market. The new Flagship service, powered by BNSF Railway in North America, offers dedicated, non-stop rail service that arrives in those five markets at an agreed time. Flagship trains bypass connecting points along the route to ensure speed to market.
The service is being marketed as an extension of a customer’s production line to increase supply chain efficiencies, improve inventory management, and help move products to market as planned.
Investments made by Maersk Line and BNSF over the last several years have allowed for BNSF rail network expansion, state-of-the-art intermodal facilities, and increased loading capabilities at the ports. The companies expect this commitment to enable fixed transits, 95% on-time delivery and a more balanced U.S. import and export system.
The five markets involved represent the initial implementation of this Flagship service with possible expansion to follow.
“While we understand that having a competitive transit is important, speed is not the essence of this service, being on-time is,” said Timothy O’Connell, Sr. Director Trade and Marketing, Maersk Line North America.
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