Hapag-Lloyd AG (Hapag-Lloyd) and Maersk A/S, a subsidiary of A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk), have signed an agreement for a new long-term operational collaboration called "Gemini Cooperation", starting in February 2025. The ambition is to provide a flexible, interconnected ocean network with state-of-the-art reliability.

"Teaming up with Maersk will help us to further improve the quality we offer our customers. In addition, we will benefit from efficiency gains in our operations and joint efforts to further accelerate the decarbonization of our industry," said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

The new cooperation between Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk will comprise a fleet of around 290 vessels with a combined capacity of 3.4 million containers (TEU); Maersk will deploy 60% and Hapag-Lloyd 40%.

"We are delighted to enter into this cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd, which is the ideal ocean-going partner in our strategic journey. By concluding this cooperation, we will offer our customers a flexible ocean network that will raise the bar for reliability in the industry. This will strengthen our integrated logistics offering and meet the needs of our customers," says Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk.

As part of the agreement, the two companies have set themselves the ambitious target of ensuring schedule reliability in excess of 90% once the network is fully implemented. In addition to improved service quality, customers will also benefit from improved transit times on many major port-to-port corridors, and access to some of the world's best connected shipping hubs.

Both companies are committed to decarbonizing their fleets and have set the most ambitious decarbonization targets in the sector, with Maersk aiming for carbon neutrality by 2040 and Hapag-Lloyd by 2045.

As a result of this cooperation, Hapag-Lloyd will leave THE Alliance at the end of January 2025. In January 2023, Maersk and MSC announced that the 2M alliance would end in January 2025.

During 2024, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will carefully plan the transition from their current alliances to the new operational cooperation. At the same time, customer service will continue in accordance with existing agreements.

Further details of the "Gemini cooperation", including new ship schedules, will be announced in due course, as soon as they become available.

About the new network

• The "Gemini cooperation" will be a long-term operational cooperation starting in February 2025. Both companies will provide dedicated operational teams to manage the cooperation.
• Both Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk can flexibly adjust their off-grid operations to adapt capacity to their customers' needs.
• As part of the agreement, the two companies have set themselves the ambitious target of delivering over 90% schedule reliability once the network is fully implemented. This objective is underpinned by a solid governance model and contractual obligations.
• The "Gemini cooperation" will draw on the unrivalled global networks and terminal presence of Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, as well as the extensive logistics expertise of our teams. The cooperation comprises around 290 vessels with a combined capacity of 3.4 million containers (TEU); Maersk will deploy 60% and Hapag-Lloyd 40%.
• The cooperation will cover 7 business lines: Asia / US West Coast, Asia / US East Coast, Asia / Middle East, Asia / Mediterranean, Asia / Northern Europe, Middle East - India / Europe and Transatlantic.
• The "Gemini cooperation" will comprise 26 mainline services. Mainline maritime services will be complemented by a global network of dedicated shuttles centered around owned and/or controlled transshipment hubs - including 14 shuttle services in Europe, 4 in the Middle East, 13 in Asia and 1 in the Gulf of Mexico.

These shuttle services will offer a fast connection with flexible capacity between hubs and ports served by shuttle services, and vice versa.

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