French container shipping major CMA CGM has decided to upgrade two weekly services connecting India Middle East Gulf to East Africa, starting from February 20, 2017.
The services in question are Swahili Express and Noura Express which have a combined fleet of nine vessels of up to 3,500 TEU, with twelve ports of call.
Commencing on February 24 with M/V Chief arriving at the Port of Nhava Sheva, the Swahili service will be operated with four ships. The company will add Mombasa direct call, complementing the existing Dar Es Salaam call.
Port coverage at origin will be upgraded with two port calls in India, while Longoni and Zanzibar ports are discontinued, according to CMA CGM.
The Swahili service will include the following ports: Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Jebel Ali, Khor Fakkan, Mombasa, Dar Es Salaam, Nhava Sheva.
Mombasa will be reached from Mundra in twelve days and Dar Es Salaam in fourteen days, the company said.
Furthermore, the Noura service will be operated with five 2,200 TEU containerships, starting with M/V Keta on February 20.
The firm revealed that the service will have an improved transit time to Somalia by four days. Mogadishu port will be reached in seven days from Jebel Ali and in seventeen days from Mundra.
Longoni and Zanzibar port calls transferred from Swahili will be continued on Noura, while Port Victoria call remains unchanged.
Port rotation of the Noura service will be as follows: Khor Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Mogadishu, Longoni, Zanzibar, Port Victoria, Khor Fakkan.