AP Moller-Maersk has signed an order for eight large vessels with New Times Shipbuilding Co Ltd in China. All eight ships will have the same characteristics and make up a new series of 18,600 TEU vessels, with delivery scheduled in 2029 and 2030. At 366 m length and 58.6 m breadth, the vessels are more compact than the current maximum container vessel length of 400 m. The ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines that can operate on conventional bunker fuel or liquefied gas. Maersk currently has 33 vessels on order, with four scheduled for delivery this year, says a release.
‘Relook Schengen entry/exit system’
Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and International Air Transport Association (IATA ) have warned that the Schengen entry/exit system (EES) continues to cause significant delays for passengers. In the absence of immediate action to provide sufficient flexibility, severe disruptions are likely over the peak summer months, with queues potentially involving four-hour waits or more.
In a letter to Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, airports and airlines, ACI said waiting times reached up to two hours at airport border control as the current stage of the EES progressive rollout mandated that 35 per cent of all third country nationals entering the Schengen zone must be registered. It urged the European Commission to confirm that Schengen member states will retain the ability to partially or totally suspend EES until end-October 2026.
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Published on February 23, 2026