China’s shipping giant COSCO Shipping has introduced a new maritime service linking key Chinese ports with North Africa, marking a strategic expansion of its regional footprint through the Suez Canal.
The newly launched North Africa Express (NAX) service will operate on a three-week rotation, deploying three vessels with a deadweight capacity of 80,000 tons, equivalent to approximately 4,300 TEUs. The ships, designed in a box-shaped configuration, are tailored for transporting general and bulk cargo. They are owned by COSCO Shipping Development and operated by COSCO Shipping Bulk.
The NAX route will connect major ports including Ningbo, Shanghai, and Nansha, before transiting through Port Said and continuing to Benghazi and Misrata, with a return leg to Qingdao.
The company said the new service is aimed at strengthening trade links between the Far East and North Africa, while supporting cargo flows to and from the Libyan market.
In parallel developments, Sidra Line has launched a new Black Sea service (BFS), creating a connection between major Turkish ports and Russia. The route links Ambarli, Izmit, and Novorossiysk, effectively extending its existing Turkey–North Africa Express (TNX) service.
Both services are operated using a single vessel with a capacity of around 600 TEUs, enhancing connectivity between Turkey, the Black Sea, and North Africa while improving fleet deployment efficiency.
Meanwhile, United Arab Feeder Lines (UAFL) is expanding its Middle East Express (MEX) feeder service by adding Sohar to its rotation, according to data from DynaLiners.
The updated service connects major ports in India and Pakistan, including Nhava Sheva, Mundra, and Karachi, with destinations such as Seychelles, Comoros, and Nacala.
Operated by two vessels with a combined capacity of around 1,800 TEUs on a 21-day schedule, the enhanced MEX route is expected to improve regional connectivity and provide more efficient shipping solutions across Indian Ocean trade corridors.
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