DynaLiners

Shipping Arabia, November 8, 2026 – Sidra Line is returning to Red Sea container shipping operations with two regional services connecting ports across the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea. According to shipping research firm DynaLiners, the carrier will operate the Red Sea Express (RSA) service alongside a separate intra-Red Sea service known as IRS.

The two services will restore Sidra Line’s presence in the Red Sea container shipping market, connecting regional ports in Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, and Syria. The network will feature both monthly and weekly sailings, with different vessel capacities and port rotations.

Red Sea Express Connects Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea Ports

The Red Sea Express (RSA) service will provide maritime connections between the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea, deploying a single container vessel with a capacity of 270 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

According to DynaLiners, the service will operate on a monthly frequency, linking ports in Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Djibouti, and Syria.

The announced RSA port rotation is:

Adana – Alexandria – Ain Sokhna – Aqaba – Djibouti – Aqaba – Damietta – Latakia – Adana.

The rotation includes three Egyptian ports: Alexandria, Ain Sokhna, and Damietta. It also features two calls at Aqaba, connecting Jordan with the Eastern Mediterranean and Djibouti through the same service.

The inclusion of Latakia and Adana extends the service’s coverage to Syria and Türkiye, establishing maritime connections between these markets and the Red Sea.

Sidra Line Introduces Weekly Intra-Red Sea Service

Alongside RSA, Sidra Line will operate a separate intra-Red Sea container service under the name IRS, providing weekly connections between Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

According to DynaLiners, the IRS service is understood to be offered in cooperation with Samsun Shipping. It will deploy one container vessel with a capacity of 450 TEUs.

The announced IRS port rotation is:

Aqaba – Ain Sokhna – Jeddah – Aqaba.

Unlike the monthly RSA service, IRS will offer weekly sailings along a shorter regional route. The service will connect Aqaba with Ain Sokhna on Egypt’s Red Sea coast and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Two Services Restore Sidra Line’s Red Sea Presence

The introduction of RSA and IRS marks Sidra Line’s return to container shipping activity in the Red Sea through two distinct regional operating patterns.

RSA will provide monthly connections between the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea markets, while IRS will focus on weekly sailings linking Aqaba, Ain Sokhna, and Jeddah.

Both services include Aqaba and Ain Sokhna in their rotations, giving the two ports a presence in Sidra Line’s wider regional network.

Together, the services will restore the carrier’s Red Sea operations while connecting regional markets with ports in Türkiye, Egypt, and Syria.

Source: Al Mal News

Shipping Arabia, November 8, 2026 – CMA CGM has added a seasonal call at Iskenderun, Türkiye, to its MEDEX service connecting the Indian subcontinent with the Mediterranean. The additional port call is expected to remain in the service rotation until the end of December 2026, strengthening direct maritime connections for southern Türkiye.

The seasonal addition provides a direct link between southern Türkiye, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. It is also expected to support Turkish seasonal exports requiring refrigerated container transport, particularly citrus fruits and apples.

CMA CGM MEDEX Service Revised Port Rotation

The updated CMA CGM MEDEX service includes Iskenderun among its Mediterranean calls, alongside ports in Egypt, Malta, Italy, France, Spain, Greece and Lebanon.

According to CMA CGM, the revised port rotation is as follows:

Port Said – Malta – Genoa – Marseille – Valencia – Piraeus – Iskenderun – Beirut – Jeddah – Djibouti – Duqm – Mundra – Nhava Sheva – Colombo – Djibouti – Jeddah – Port Said.

The revised rotation maintains connections through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, including calls at Jeddah, Djibouti and Duqm, before serving ports across the Indian subcontinent.

The seasonal Iskenderun call is expected to remain part of this rotation through December 2026, providing additional direct shipping options for cargo moving between southern Türkiye and the markets served by MEDEX.

CMA CGM Suspends Transatlantic Sailings on Panama Direct Service

Separately, CMA CGM has announced a temporary suspension of transatlantic sailings on its Panama Direct (PAD) service following the conclusion of the kiwi export season.

According to shipping industry information provider DynaLiners, the suspension will last approximately 18 weeks, beginning in mid-November 2026 and continuing until late March 2027.

During this period, the revised PAD service will maintain weekly connections between Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. East Coast. However, Northern European ports will be excluded from the temporary service rotation.

The adjustment will allow CMA CGM to withdraw four vessels from the service. As a result, the revised fleet will comprise 11 container ships, each with an approximate capacity of 2,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

Revised Panama Direct Port Rotation

Under the temporary operating arrangement, the PAD service will follow a revised port rotation connecting the U.S. East Coast with destinations across the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.

The temporary port rotation will be:

New York – Savannah – Kingston – Papeete – Nouméa – Brisbane – Sydney – Melbourne – Tauranga – Cartagena – Savannah – Philadelphia – New York.

The revised schedule retains calls at several U.S. East Coast ports, including New York, Savannah and Philadelphia. It also maintains connections with Australia and New Zealand through Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Tauranga.

CMA CGM’s temporary PAD adjustment and seasonal Iskenderun addition represent separate changes to its container shipping network. The MEDEX addition is scheduled through December 2026, while the revised Panama Direct arrangement is expected to continue until late March 2027.

Source: Al Mal News