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Maersk Line says that the introduction of 22 new container ships in West Africa will improve the fuel efficiency of its fleet.

The new WAFMAX (West Africa Max) 4,500 TEU vessels carry more than twice as much cargo as other ships calling at ports in West Africa. They were designed to improve Maersk Line’s service offering to customers using the Far East Asia - West Africa route and to significantly increase the efficiency of its operations.

Explaining the commercial and operational benefits, Sonny Dahl, Line Manager for West Africa trades, said: "The WAFMAX has improved both efficiency and reliability because it was custom designed to operate more efficiently in West African ports. The capacity and fuel efficiency of these vessels means we're able to move more cargo for more customers and with fewer ships. That has helped us to improve service for customers and operate more efficiently in West Africa."

Inefficiency has knock on effects: the longer a vessel spends in port, the greater its transport costs and the higher its emissions of local and global pollutants.

A 2012 study conducted by Copenhagen Economics in collaboration with Maersk Line found that these vessels play a key role in overcoming the current capacity constraints in ports such as Tema in Ghana and Apapa in Nigeria.

"There are direct links between a country’s stage of development and the performance of its ports and ocean transportation system,” explained Mette Olsen, Environment and CSR manager in Maersk Line. "What we found with this study was that the WAFMAX vessels are not only a sound business investment, they also have a significant impact on improving port productivity and reducing overall transportation costs in the ports and terminals they call. In an emerging market context like Nigeria and Ghana, such improvements can be significant drivers of future growth and prosperity."

The study can be found by visiting the address below.

http://www.maerskline.com/globalfile/?path=/pdf/WAFMAX_impact_study