Global liner carriers are accelerating their expansion into emerging markets. Following Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, HMM has announced the launch of its new GIA (Gulf–India–East Africa) service, strengthening its East Africa shipping network. The new service is scheduled to commence in September 2026 and will connect India and Central Asia with East Africa through a hub-and-spoke network, becoming part of carriers’ broader efforts to capture growing trade opportunities in Africa.

Key Highlights

• New service: HMM’s new GIA India–East Africa service is scheduled to make its maiden voyage in the fourth week of September.

• Operating model: The service will adopt a Hub & Spoke model to improve transshipment efficiency.

• Capacity deployment: Five 2,800 TEU vessels will be deployed, with four carriers jointly operating the service to support schedule reliability.

• Network expansion: Together with HMM’s existing MA2 West Africa service, the new service will provide coverage across both the eastern and western coasts of Africa.

• Industry trend: Major carriers are continuing to expand their Africa services as emerging markets become an increasingly important area of competition in liner shipping.

GIA Service Launches, Establishing Direct India–East Africa Connectivity

On August 5, HMM officially announced the launch of its GIA India–East Africa shipping service, focusing on connections between major Indian hub ports and key gateways in East Africa. The service is designed to support import and export cargo flows from India and Central Asia to East Africa while improving transit times and service reliability on India–East Africa routes.

The service rotation will be: Nhava Sheva → Mundra → Dar es Salaam → Mombasa → Nhava Sheva. The maiden voyage is scheduled to depart from Nhava Sheva in the fourth week of September 2026, marking the establishment of HMM’s East Africa feeder network.

HMM GIA Service

Smaller Vessels and Joint Operations Support an Efficient Transshipment Network

The GIA service will deploy five 2,800 TEU container vessels, a capacity configuration suited to East Africa’s smaller cargo volumes and frequent cargo movements. The service will be jointly operated by HMM, COSCO, PIL, and IAL, drawing on the combined capacity of the four carriers to support schedule reliability.

The service will adopt a Hub & Spoke model, with two major Indian ports serving as cargo consolidation and distribution hubs. It will also provide a basis for future expansion of Middle East–East Africa services. Cargo from India and Central Asia will be consolidated before being transshipped to East Africa, helping reduce transshipment costs, shorten transit times, and improve the efficiency of fragmented regional cargo flows.

HMM Expands Africa-Wide Coverage and Plans Future Extension to the Gulf

With the launch of the GIA service alongside its existing MA2 West Africa service, HMM will provide coverage across both the eastern and western coasts of Africa, significantly strengthening its service network across the region.

HMM said it will continue to optimize its network and plans to extend the GIA service to the Gulf region in the future, establishing a Gulf–India–East Africa logistics corridor and further expanding its global service network.

Industry Trend: Liner Competition Shifts Toward Emerging African Markets

HMM’s expansion in East Africa reflects a broader strategic shift among global liner carriers. As competition on traditional European and North American routes intensifies and profit margins narrow, demand in the East Africa shipping market continues to grow. Steady economic growth and expanding regional trade across Africa are making African services an increasingly important source of growth for liner companies.

Major carriers including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, and MSC continue to optimize their African service networks. Rather than simply adding more port calls, carriers are increasingly developing more targeted feeder networks around hubs in India and the Middle East to strengthen weaker links in their global logistics networks.

Market Outlook

As carriers continue to expand their African services, the role of East Africa as a logistics hub is expected to grow further. The launch of new services will provide more routing options for cargo moving from India and Central Asia to East Africa, optimize transportation costs and transit times, and provide trading companies and freight forwarders with more flexible cross-border logistics options.

Sources

HMM official announcements and publicly available overseas shipping industry information

Timeliness Note

As of August 10, 2026, the GIA service is scheduled to make its maiden voyage in the fourth week of September. Any subsequent service adjustments will be subject to the carrier’s latest official announcements.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is sourced from publicly available channels and is provided solely for industry reference. It does not constitute commercial advice, booking guidance, or logistics operating instructions.