Maersk Line has signed a contract with E.R. Schiffahrt and Bernhard Schulte, two experienced suppliers which are both currently providing time-charter services to Maersk Line.

For the next five years 12 vessels, representing a variety in class, size, age, and engine type will be managed by the two ship managers. With this unique move Maersk Line aims to create efficiency gains for the whole fleet by learning from industry best practice.

With 20 Triple-E vessels delivered and in regular service, and several large orders placed for new vessels to be delivered in the coming years, Maersk Line’s fleet is becoming larger and increasingly modern and efficient. At the same time, Maersk Line aims to continuously improve how ships are managed.

We believe we are among the best ship managers and that our crews are among the best. But we want to verify and challenge this belief. We have therefore decided to contract third-party ship managers to take on the full ship management of 12 of our vessels for a period of five years.” says Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Technical Operations in Maersk Line. 

Ship management covers all technical aspects of running a vessel, including crewing, safety performance, environmental performance, technical operations, and energy efficiency.

Maersk Line has selected E.R. Schiffahrt and Bernhard Schulte based on criteria such as transparency, key performance indicators, and governance model.

The vessels will be transferred to the two suppliers by the end of 2015.

Maersk Line will reassign the crew members currently serving on the 12 vessels.