The Maersk barge shuttle between Antwerp and Rotterdam is opened to third parties. It is going to be exploited by chartering broker Lucassen (via
Safmarine also member of the A.P. Moller Group). To the present vessel (284 TEU) a second one (156 TEU, with an extra lighter: 260 TEU) will be added
enabling a frequency of six times per week. The theoretical maximum capacity of the service is 78,000 TEU (in both directions) per year. The Maersk base load is some 60,000 TEU (both directions). Total volume Antwerp-Rotterdam is
estimated at least 650,000 TEU per year.