Maersk Will Continue Calling at Port of Houston

The world's biggest shipping company, Maersk Line, and its affiliated shipping services, SeaLand and Safmarine, will continue to call at the Port of Houston Authority, which the carrier says is a key partner in helping provide the best service possible to its customers.

According to Maersk, its current services that call the Port of Houston Authority's terminals will remain unchanged and uninterrupted.

"We remain committed to serving all of our customers for whom the Port of Houston is a critical gateway to their supply chains," said Timothy Simpson, who is head of Maersk's Marketing and Communications division located in Florham Park, N.J. "The Port Authority is a valuable partner and we will work with them to ensure there are no service disruptions as a result of this change."

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority last month authorized the termination of a lease with Maersk Group and its affiliated companies, a mutually agreed move that was seen as beneficial to both parties. The transition to termination is under way now, with the process expected to conclude in late July.

The Port Authority has had a lengthy landlord-tenant relationship with Maersk at its Barbours Cut container terminal, and the company is now free to call there or at the Port Authority's Bayport container terminal as a common carrier.

The Port Authority is investing heavily in infrastructure at its container terminals and other facilities and will continue to deliver a high level of service to Maersk and every other carrier, noted Ricky Kunz, Chief Commercial Officer at the Port of Houston Authority.

"Our strong relationship with Maersk remains intact and we will continue to deliver high-caliber service to that carrier and all our customers," Kunz said.