Gemini moves Far East service.
Wilhelmshaven has emerged as a key hub in the new Gemini network established by Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, overshadowing Hamburg, which has been relegated to a secondary “spoke” role. This shift is driving the relocation of a Far East service, including the flagship “Hamburg Express” (23,660 TEU), away from Hamburg. Last fall, the megamax vessel was celebrated at its namesake port during its christening, but it will soon make its final journey up the Elbe, with future calls redirected to Wilhelmshaven alongside its twelve sister ships in the FE3 service. Hamburg’s diminished status contrasts with the deep-water capabilities of Wilhelmshaven and Bremerhaven, both designated as Main Line hubs in the Gemini framework.
The transition reflects Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk’s hub-and-spoke strategy, which prioritizes approximately 15 global hub ports for their largest vessels, supplemented by 28 feeder “spoke” connections. In the coming weeks, two more sister ships will briefly dock at Hamburg’s Waltershof port, with their final visit scheduled for early April. After that, the FE3 service will fully operate out of Wilhelmshaven, one of 13 European hubs, alongside 10 in Asia, 4 in the Middle East, and 1 in America. This model aims to streamline cargo movement, using feeders to link smaller ports to hubs, ensuring efficient regional distribution and reducing transit times.
This strategic overhaul targets an industry-leading 90% schedule reliability by summer, a goal underscored by Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen. He emphasized that mainline punctuality must exceed 90% to account for shuttle coordination at hubs, boosting overall performance. The shift will raise transshipment cargo’s share from 35% to about 45%, benefiting hubs like Wilhelmshaven while challenging Hamburg’s traditional prominence. By centralizing operations in fewer, well-equipped ports, the Gemini partners aim to enhance dependability and efficiency, positioning Wilhelmshaven as a winner in this reconfigured network at Hamburg’s expense.
