P3 alliance winners and losers

The Port of Antwerp has welcomed the news that the P3 network will be using the port as its European platform for trade, but where will the P3 shipping alliance of Maersk Line, MSC and CMA CGM, leave other European ports?

Unconfirmed rumours anticipate that APM Terminals and Hutchison Port Holdings will get P3 traffic in Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte. But if this proves to be the case questions have been raised on where this will leave the new DP World-led Rotterdam World Gateway Maasvlakte terminal in which CMA CGM is a share holder.

APM Terminals, HPH and DP World all refused to comment on the issue at this time.

All three P3 partners have connections with terminal operators: Maersk is connected to APM Terminals through the AP Moller-Maersk Group, MSC to Terminal Investments Ltd (TIL) and CMA CGM To Terminal Link, and each has its own favoured ports.

When the alliance was set up, the Global Shippers’ Forum expressed concern about the potential of the P3 alliance to eliminate effective competition in the world's main liner trades and the same applies to ports and terminals.

The question of who will win and who will lose is important because the alliance could reduce the number of terminal calls per port, which has significant consequences for the associated terminal operators.

The P3 alliance will operate a fleet of 255 ships with total capacity of 2.6m teu on 27 service loops in the Asia-Europe, trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trades. The alliance – which still has to be approved by regulatory authorities in Europe, the U.S. and China – is due to be launched in spring 2014.
Source: Port Strategy