Hapag-Lloyd has launched a new MIAX (Middle East-India-Africa Express) service this month that will offer direct connections and fast transit times between South and West Africa, the Persian Gulf, India, Colombo (Sri Lanka) and La Réunion as the shipping giant continues to develop its position in Africa.

Hapag-Lloyd, who entered the African market about twelve years ago, said it has since then seen a "steady and significant growth" in transported volumes to and from Africa.

“With the new MIAX service our customers will now benefit from an even wider range of fast and flexible direct connections,” says Dheeraj Bhatia, senior managing director of Hapag-Lloyd’s region middle east.

The MIAX service will be connected to the Global Mainline Network via the key ports of

Jebel Ali (Dubai) and Colombo.

The shipping giant said it will jointly operate the MIAX service with its THE Alliance partner, Ocean Network Express with a total of nine, 2,800 TEU ships — including five provided by Hapag-Lloyd — to be deployed for the new service.

“The new MIAX service enables us to offer our customers very attractive transit times between South and West Africa, Middle East and India, at the same time, we are integrating Africa even more tightly into our global network,” says Samad Osman, managing director of Hapag-Lloyd’s Africa area.

The first departures are scheduled for early October with the following port rotation: Jebel Ali (UAE) - Mundra (India) - Nhava Sheva (India) - Colombo (Sri Lanka) - La Réunion (French department in the Indian Ocean) - Durban (South Africa) - Cape Town (South Africa) - Tema (Ghana) - Lagos (Tincan and Apapa) - Cape Town - Durban - Jebel Ali.