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On 11 May, Maersk Elba made the first of what will be many visits to the DCT Gdansk terminal in Poland as part of the AE10 weekly service. Launched in January 2010, this direct Asia–Europe product started to call Gdansk using 8,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) ships and the arrival of Maersk Elba — at 13,100 TEU — is yet another, unique event for the Polish economy and a break-through for the local maritime transport industry. Maersk Line is today the only shipping line offering direct connection to Poland from Asia. The significance of the event saw Maersk Line CEO Eivind Kolding accompany the former Polish President, Mr. Lech Walesa, on a tour of the Elba vessel. He made no secret of the joy and appreciation for the progress that DCT Gdansk and Maersk Line have reached together in the development of the Polish maritime industry. The occasion also marked the 20th anniversary of Maersk Line activities in Poland. At a joint press conference hosted by Maersk Line in Poland and DCT Gdansk to mark the dual event, the two organisations stressed the importance of Maersk Line to the development of the Polish economy and the nature of the partnership with DCT Gdansk, without which the joint success and expansion of the AE10 service would not be possible. A breakthrough for Polish maritime transport The event was particularly relevant for the Master of Maersk Elba, Captain Wojciech Kucz, himself a Pole and originally from Gdansk. He admitted this was a “breakthrough for the whole of Polish maritime transport”, and also a very symbolic event in his professional career. The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, also paid Elba a visit during her stay in Gdansk and admitted that he was impressed by the technical specification and the huge scale of the vessel. On behalf of the government, Mr. Tusk thanked Jeff Jaroslaw Gosciniak, Maersk Line’s Head of Eastern Central Europe cluster, and Boris Wenzel, Managing Director of DCT Gdansk, for their commitment and determination in overcoming barriers and creating new logistics solutions. He also acknowledged the need for further legislative solutions which are necessary to make things easier for everyone willing to conduct business in Poland. Eleven of Maersk Line’s largest vessels will call Poland as part of the AE10 service, with Eleonora Mærsk due to arrive in late May and Emma Mærsk, the flagship of the fleet, set to arrive at the end of June. Maersk Line, press release |
Maersk Line’s largest ships start calling Poland