“MSC Regulus” bethed at Ningbo port on Jan.14, meaning that Ningbo port and 2M started cooperation officially.

The world’s largest container shipper Maersk signed a 10 year Vessel Sharing Agreement with MSC (VSA) on the Asia-Europe, Transatlantic and Transpacific trades in July, 2014.The 2M will include 185 vessels with an estimated capacity of 2.1 million TEU, deployed on 21 strings, 14 lines of which involved Ningbo Port.

The hand-in-hand of Ningbo Port and 2M will have positive influence on container throughput and route distribution of Ningbo Port.

The shipping alliance has become an important method to face market competition. Maersk and MSC has accounted for 14.5% and 13.4% respectively of global container shipping. It is projected that 2M would give the two companies less than 30 percent on the Asia-Europe route.

Maersk said it will arrange much larger, more efficient ships to improve loading capacity, and save cost. In east-west route, Maersk will increase another 21 routes and the berthing port will be increased to 291.