HMM Launches India–East Africa Container Service from September - India Seatrade News
South Korea’s leading container shipping company, HMM, has announced the launch of a new Gulf-India-East Africa (GIEA) Service, further strengthening maritime connectivity between India and East Africa. The new service is scheduled to commence in the fourth week of September 2026. The new route will use Nhava Sheva and Mundra as its Indian hub ports, […]
South Korea’s leading container shipping company,HMM, has announced the launch of a newGulf-India-East Africa (GIEA) Service, further strengthening maritime connectivity between India and East Africa. The new service is scheduled to commence in thefourth week of September 2026. The new route will useNhava ShevaandMundraas its Indian hub ports, connecting them with the East African gateway ports ofDar es Salaam, Tanzania, andMombasa, Kenya. The service represents HMM’s second African feeder network under itshub-and-spoke strategy, which combines ultra-large vessels operating on major global trade lanes with smaller regional feeder ships serving emerging markets. The strategy has been actively pursued since CEOChoi Won-hyukassumed leadership of the company’s container business. HMM will deployfive 2,800-TEU container vesselson the weekly service. The rotation will be:Nhava Sheva – Mundra – Dar es Salaam – MombasaThe service will be jointly operated byHMM,COSCO Shipping,Pacific International Lines (PIL)andInterasia Lines, with plans to extend the network to the Gulf region in the future. The new service complements HMM’s existingMA2 service, which connects North and West Africa viaAlgeciras, Spain, supporting the carrier’s long-term strategy to expand its footprint across the African continent. According to HMM, the inclusion ofKenyaandTanzaniareflects the growing importance of East Africa as a trade gateway, supported by ongoing investments in port infrastructure and inland logistics. The company expects the new service to improve cargo connectivity and offer greater convenience to exporters and importers. HMM noted that growing uncertainty in global supply chains has increased customer demand for reliable sailing schedules and broader network coverage. The carrier said its hub-and-spoke model is designed to provide greater operational flexibility while enhancing service competitiveness. As part of its long-term growth strategy, HMM recently announced plans to expand its container fleet to1. 47 million TEU across 166 vessels by 2030, reinforcing its position in the global liner shipping market. An HMM official said the India-East Africa service marks another important milestone in expanding the company’s African network and reaffirmed its commitment to developing services in high-growth markets while delivering enhanced value to customers.