Maersk Launches New Northern Europe–Egypt Shipping Service to Cut Transit Time

Danish shipping giant Maersk has unveiled a new weekly maritime service connecting Northern Europe and Italy with Egypt, aiming to improve transit times, strengthen supply-chain reliability, and support growing trade volumes across the Mediterranean corridor.

The new SLA (Sea Baltic Link) service will connect the ports of Gdansk, Bremerhaven, and Genoa (Vado Ligure) with Egypt's strategic gateways of Port Said and Alexandria, providing a direct route into Egypt and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region.

According to Maersk, the service is designed to reduce dependence on indirect shipping routes, enabling faster transit times and offering greater schedule reliability compared with more complex alternatives involving multiple transshipment points.

The weekly rotation will follow the route: Gdansk – Bremerhaven – Genoa (Vado Ligure) – East Port Said – Alexandria – Tangier – Gdansk.

The fixed weekly schedule is expected to provide greater consistency for cargo planning while reducing delivery-time variability through fewer transshipment operations. The move comes as global supply chains continue to face disruptions, increasing demand for predictable logistics solutions and tighter inventory management.

The launch reflects broader shifts in trade dynamics between Europe and the Mediterranean region, where commercial activity continues to expand.

Trade between the European Union and Egypt reached approximately €32.3 billion in 2025, underscoring the strategic importance of the corridor and the growing demand for efficient maritime connectivity.

Italy remains a particularly important market, serving as Egypt's largest European trading partner. Bilateral trade between the two countries totaled around $6.6 billion in 2024, highlighting sustained commercial ties and strong demand for direct shipping links.

Northern Europe is also emerging as an increasingly significant source of trade growth. Poland, one of the European Union's fastest-growing economies, recorded GDP growth of approximately 3.6% in 2025, with expansion expected to remain robust at around 3.5% in 2026.

That economic momentum is driving higher import demand and reinforcing the need for direct maritime connections with key regional markets, including Egypt.

Egypt's position as a regional logistics gateway further enhances the value of the new SLA service. Through Port Said and Alexandria, cargo can connect to an extensive network serving destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and beyond.

Egypt exported goods worth more than $53 billion in 2024, with major export markets including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Italy, reinforcing its role as a critical hub linking regional and international trade flows.

Maersk noted that supply-chain resilience continues to be a top priority for businesses navigating an increasingly volatile global trading environment.

The company said direct port calls can reduce reliance on multiple handling points, helping to minimize delays and improve operational reliability. In trade lanes where transit time and connectivity are key considerations, incremental improvements in route design and service frequency can significantly influence how companies structure their supply chains and allocate cargo.

By providing regular direct sailings between Northern Europe, Italy, and Egypt, the new SLA service is designed to align with evolving trade patterns while supporting businesses that increasingly depend on speed, flexibility, and operational simplicity in global logistics.