FRENCH shipping giant CMA CGM has upgraded its India Middle East Gulf to East Africa services to provide shorter transits, reports the Maritime Herald of Varna, Bulgaria.
The changes in the Swahili Express service and Noura Express service will take effect on February 20 and will be upgraded with two direct port calls in India, as well as a direct call to Mombasa.
The improvement will mostly affect Kenyan and Tanzanian markets, which will benefit from quick transits from India and United Arab Emirates, said the Marseilles shipping line.
But calls at the Port of Longoni, Mayotte, northwest of Madagascar and Zanzibar will be discontinued and transferred to the Noura Express, due to low traffic.
The Swahili Express will continue operating on weekly loop and will be served by four 3,500-TEU vessels, rotating through Mumbai-Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Jebel Ali, Khor Fakkan, Mombasa, Dar Es Salaam and back to Mumbai's Nhava Sheva.
Transit times will be shortened as Mombasa will be reached from Mundra in 12 days, while Dar es Salaam will be reached in 14 days.
The Noura Express will be operated by five 2,200-TEU vessels, rotating through Khor Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Mogadishu, Longoni, Zanzibar, Port Victoria and back to Khor Fakkan.
The transit time to Somalia will be shortened to four days, while Mogadishu port will be reached in seven days from Jebel Ali and in 17 days from Mundra.