Maersk Tangier Makes First Vessel Call

WILMINGTON, NC- The 548-foot Maersk Tangier docked at the North Carolina State Ports Authority’s Port of Wilmington on Friday, the first vessel call by the world’s largest container shipping company in a new direct connection to Central America for North Carolina shippers.

Maersk is the third shipping container company to begin service at the Port of Wilmington, following expansion of the container terminal. The improvements include a 42-foot navigation channel, berth reconstruction, four 100-foot gauge container cranes and a terminal operating system that allows customers to track their own containers online in and out of the Port.

The South Atlantic Express service offers weekly vessel calls between the Port of Wilmington and Puerto Cortes, Honduras and Santo Tomas, Guatemala in northern Central America, with over the road service to El Salvador and Nicaragua. Norton Lilly International is the agent and Ports America is the stevedore.

“Maersk’s new service at the Port of Wilmington supports North Carolina’s textile and apparel industries,” said Carl J. Stewart, Jr., Chairman, NC State Ports Authority Board of Directors, “and will help to sustain the jobs of thousands of North Carolina workers in these and related industries.”

“We are excited for the first call of the South Atlantic Express service to the Port of Wilmington,” said Dana Magliola, spokesman for Maersk Line. “The arrival of the Maersk Tangier signals the beginning of a positive relationship with North Carolina Ports.”

The Port of Wilmington’s proximity to the State’s textile operations increases their competitiveness in the global market though lower inland transportation costs.

“The cost of savings on inland transportation to Wilmington will be realized in the delivery of raw materials to the Port for export to the north Central American zone, as well as in the return of finished goods to distribution centers in North Carolina,” said Thomas J. Eagar, Ports Authority CEO.

“Our customers asked for service between the mills and manufacturing of North Carolina and the world; through Wilmington, we find strong local infrastructure and support to best serve their needs,” added Mr. Magliola. “Distance eliminated from the transport chain through a stop in Wilmington also makes this an environmentally-responsible option for our customers."

About Maersk Line: Maersk Line serves customers all over the globe. They operate more than 470 container vessels and more than 1,900,000 containers worldwide. As a division of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Maersk Line’s US headquarters are located in Madison, New Jersey, with a significant regional office located in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information about Maersk Line, as well as the new South Atlantic Express service to Wilmington, please visit their website at www.maerskline.com, or contact Dana Magliola, Maersk Inc., External Communications nammedia@maersk.com or 704-571-5024.