HMM will launch a new container service between India and East Africa in the fourth week of September, according to the South Korean shipping company. The connection will use the Indian ports of Nhava Sheva and Mundra as links to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya.
The route will be named Gulf-India-East Africa Service (GIA) and its first departure will take place from Nhava Sheva. The operation will have five container ships of 2,800 TEU, the reference unit used to measure the transport capacity of such vessels based on a standard twenty-foot container.
The rotation will follow the itinerary Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Dar es Salaam, and Mombasa. The two Indian ports will concentrate goods from India and Central Asia for subsequent transport to East African markets.
The service will be operated jointly by HMM, the Chinese company COSCO Shipping, the Singaporean shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL), and the Taiwanese Interasia Lines. The four companies plan to expand the connection to the Gulf region in the future, depending on market conditions.
The new route will be HMM's second feeder network in Africa based on the hub and spoke model that the container division has applied since Choi Won-hyuk took over as CEO.
This model concentrates goods at certain ports that serve as connection centers. Large capacity vessels cover major international routes, while smaller feeder units link those points with other regional ports.
The opening of the connection between India and East Africa adds to the MA2 service that HMM maintains with Northern and Western Africa through the Port of Algeciras. The shipping company believes that the combination of both routes establishes a foundation for expanding its network in the African continent in the medium and long term.
The MA2 route uses Algeciras as a hub for African destinations, while the new service will have Nhava Sheva and Mundra as operational centers. With the addition of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, HMM will add two of the main maritime access points in East Africa to its network.
The company notes that Kenya and Tanzania have port infrastructure development projects and internal logistics networks. The inclusion of both countries will allow for new connections for cargo owners operating between India, Central Asia, and East Africa.
HMM links the opening of the service to the changes recorded in the needs of international shippers. According to the shipping company, uncertainty in global supply chains has increased the demand for stable schedules and connections with a greater number of destinations.
The company aims to combine its large capacity container vessels, intended for long-distance routes, with a network of feeder ships that distribute cargo among different regional markets. This structure will allow linking ocean services with shorter connections.
To cater to this type of routes, HMM continues to incorporate feeder vessels that can operate in coordination with its fleet of large container ships. The shipping company considers these units necessary to expand the coverage of its network and adapt services to the conditions of each market.
The opening of the GIA service is also part of HMM's plans for fleet growth. In a recent regulatory communication, the company indicated its intention to achieve a total capacity of 1.47 million TEU by 2030, distributed among 166 vessels.
The shipping company has indicated that the new connection will allow it to extend its hub and spoke strategy in Africa and expand its network in markets with growth potential. The possible inclusion of Middle Eastern ports will depend on market evolution and transport demand in the area.