<p class="MsoNormal">Restructuring its intra-European short-sea networks, Danish

shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk will officially take over the primary vessel

deployment role from Singapore-based Ocean Network Express (ONE) on the jointly

operated Adriatic Service (AD1). The strategic transition, executed in

partnership with regional short-sea operator Admiral Feeders, marks a major

shift in how cargo space and vessel schedules are managed between Northern

Adriatic ports and the Eastern Mediterranean.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Following the structural transition, Maersk will

commercially market the corridor as the "Adriatic Sea" service, while

ONE will modify its operational status to that of a slot charterer with

scaled-back port access.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Revised Port Rotations and Schedule Streamlining<o:p></o:p></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The transition in vessel management coincides with an

aggressive streamlining of the service's port rotation, aimed at improving

schedule reliability and shortening overall transit times. To minimize transit

delays across the region, the operators are pivoting away from certain Turkish

and Greek calling points to favor direct East Med linkages:<o:p></o:p></p>

<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">

<li class="MsoNormal"><b>Port

Omissions:</b> The updated network framework will formally eliminate

scheduled stops at the ports of Aliaga (Turkey) and Piraeus (Greece).<o:p></o:p></li>

<li class="MsoNormal"><b>New

Service Destinations:</b> To secure deep-water entry points into the

Levant region, the revised route will introduce dedicated direct calls at

the ports of Haifa and Ashdod.<o:p></o:p></li>

<li class="MsoNormal"><b>Leaner

Loop Rotation:</b> The finalized route structure is mapped as: Koper

– Venice – Ancona – Haifa – Ashdod – Damietta – and returning back to

Koper.<o:p></o:p></li>

</ul>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Shift to Slot Chartering Restricts ONE’s Regional

Footprint<o:p></o:p></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The reallocation of vessel provisioning duties fundamentally

changes ONE's commercial capabilities along this specific maritime corridor.

Under the terms of the revised slot-sharing framework, ONE's access will be

strictly restricted. The line's slot chartering agreement will completely

exclude the newly added Haifa and Ashdod port segments, leaving ONE to focus

its intra-European short-sea marketing primarily on the remaining

Adriatic-Egypt connections.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">A representative for ONE noted that the revised

configuration establishes a leaner operational structure. By removing multiple

port stops, the joint service aims to isolate its vessels from compounding port

delays, ensuring a predictable weekly cadence for time-sensitive cargo, such as

fresh produce.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Activation Parameters and Initial Voyage<o:p></o:p></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The revamped Adriatic Sea loop is scheduled to officially

activate on July 2, 2026. The maiden voyage under Maersk's deployment framework

will be executed by the container vessel <i>MITO</i> (Voyage 627S),

locking in an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at the Port of Koper, Slovenia,

to commence the modernized rotation.<o:p></o:p></p>