Maersk Line has added a two-way Black Sea string to its East Mediterranean-Middle East-India (ME3) service, to extend the port coverage to Novorossisk in Russia, according to liner shipping industry information platform Alphaliner.

The new ME3 port rotation is Port Said, Mersin, Ambarli, Izmit, Novorossisk, Izmit, Ambarli, Port Said, Jeddah, Jebel Ali, Pipavav, Hazira, Nhava Sheva, Jebel Ali, Salalah, and back to Port Said.

The first ME3 Novorossisk call was scheduled for September 13. The capacity of ships in the service was recently upped from 3,600-TEU to 4,500-TEU, said a report, adding that the rotation has also been increased by one week from six to seven weeks due to the changes.