Maersk Line’s new Papua New Guinea (PNG) service connects the country’s growing economy to more global markets — a perfect example of the company’s mission in action.
Spotting significant potential in the growth market of Papua New Guinea, Maersk Line has launched a new fortnightly service which covers three ports in the country as well as Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, and Jakarta in Indonesia. This is Maersk Line’s first operated service to the country, previously it had taken cargo using purchased slots on competitor services.
“Although the market is not big, we expect it to grow substantially over the next few years,” explains Len Phillips, Maersk Line’s Australia and Pacific Islands Business Development Manager.
“Competing services are mainly focusing on Asia, so our PNG service which connects into our global network through the Tanjung Pelepas hub port will definitely open up new trade opportunities for the country,” he adds.
Growing trades in PNG
Maersk Line is targeting a 10 % market share, but not necessarily by taking cargo from competitors. Instead it is aiming to create a new market with the conversion of fish exports from bulk to containers.
“Many shippers are pushing for containerisation because of greater flexibility and cost savings. Plus, the connection at Tanjung Pelepas provides access to our global fleet of reefer equipment, which will allow them to extend their reach to markets such as Europe,” continues Phillips.
Floyd Tiu-Laurel, Vice President of Frabelle Fishing Corp., admits to being excited over the new opportunities.
“Maersk Line has a really good reputation globally in terms of being a reliable carrier and the extensive network offered through the new connection provides new opportunities for us.”
Maersk Line may also be able to carry some out of gauge cargo into the country as there are several large LNG (liquefied natural gas) mining projects happening in PNG.
With it being one of the Group’s priorities to increase focus on places where we see high potential growth, PNG fits well into the overall business strategy.
“The PNG service will enable us to expand our operations in the Asia Pacific region and give customers there a new level of service, while providing new opportunities for trade for the country. We may also further expand the service to include other ports in the region, where we can bank on and rely on our existing strong presence,” said Thomas Knudsen, CEO, Maersk Line Asia Pacific.
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The PNG service offers Papua New Guinea customers global connectivity
