Emirates Shipping Line

Shipping Arabia, November 11, 2026 – Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) is expanding its Far East–Africa services with two new container shipping connections linking major Chinese ports with East and Southeast Africa.

The new Far East Africa Express 2 (FAX2) and Far East Africa Express 3 (FAX3) services will complement the carrier’s existing Far East Africa Express (FAX) service. The expansion will strengthen ESL’s connections to Kenya and Tanzania while introducing a direct link to Mozambique.

FAX2 Service to Connect Chinese Ports with Mombasa

The FAX2 service will connect Qingdao, Ningbo and Nansha with Mombasa, Kenya, via Port Klang, Malaysia. The inaugural sailing is scheduled to depart Qingdao on December 5, 2026.

The service will operate the following port rotation:

Qingdao – Ningbo – Nansha – Port Klang – Mombasa – Qingdao.

FAX3 Service to Extend Connectivity to Mozambique

Meanwhile, the FAX3 service will connect Shanghai, Ningbo and Nansha with Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Maputo, Mozambique. The rotation will also include calls at Port Klang and Singapore.

According to Emirates Shipping Line, the direct connection to Maputo will also support access to neighboring markets. These include Eswatini, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The inaugural FAX3 sailing is scheduled to depart Shanghai on November 25, 2026, with the following port rotation:

Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Port Klang – Dar es Salaam – Maputo – Singapore – Shanghai.

Expanding ESL’s Existing Far East–Africa Network

Both new services will operate alongside ESL’s existing FAX service, which connects Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha and Port Klang with Dar es Salaam and Mombasa.

The introduction of FAX2 will provide an additional connection to Mombasa, while FAX3 will expand ESL’s coverage to Maputo and reinforce its connections to Dar es Salaam.

With the addition of these two routes, Emirates Shipping Line will expand its Far East–Africa services to three complementary connections, strengthening its network between Asia and the African markets of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Source: Al Mal

Shipping Arabia, November 9, 2026 – Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) is restructuring its container shipping network between India and the Red Sea, introducing revised service rotations and vessel deployments. The carrier is also preparing to launch a new China–Red Sea connection linking major Chinese ports with Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

According to maritime shipping research firm DynaLiners, the restructuring will reorganize ESL’s South Red Sea Service (SRS) and North Red Sea Service (NRS). The revised operations will feature different port rotations, vessel capacities and sailing frequencies.

Separately, the carrier has announced the introduction of its China Red Sea Connector (CRC) service in November 2026, adding direct container shipping connections between China and key Red Sea ports.

South Red Sea Service to Operate Dedicated India–Jeddah Shuttle

Under the revised network, Emirates Shipping Line will convert its South Red Sea Service (SRS) into a dedicated shuttle operation connecting Nhava Sheva in India with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The service will deploy two container vessels, each with a capacity ranging from 1,800 to 2,600 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). Sailings are scheduled to operate at nine-day intervals.

The revised SRS port rotation will follow the route Nhava Sheva – Jeddah – Nhava Sheva, establishing a dedicated connection between the two ports.

This arrangement will separate the India–Jeddah shuttle from the carrier’s wider North Red Sea operations, which will serve additional ports across the region.

North Red Sea Service to Connect India, Djibouti, Aqaba, Sokhna and Sohar

Meanwhile, Emirates Shipping Line will reorganize its North Red Sea Service (NRS) to provide connections between India and several ports in the Red Sea region and Oman.

The revised service will operate with two container vessels, each offering capacity between 1,700 and 2,500 TEU. The carrier plans to maintain a sailing frequency of approximately once every two weeks.

The NRS rotation will cover Nhava Sheva – Djibouti – Aqaba – Sokhna – Sohar – Nhava Sheva.

Under this arrangement, the service will connect Nhava Sheva with Djibouti, Jordan’s Port of Aqaba, Egypt’s Sokhna Port and Oman’s Port of Sohar before returning to India.

The revised rotation will maintain Emirates Shipping Line’s connections with multiple regional markets while the South Red Sea Service focuses on the dedicated Nhava Sheva–Jeddah route.

New China Red Sea Connector to Link Three Chinese Ports With the Red Sea

Alongside its India–Red Sea network restructuring, Emirates Shipping Line is introducing a new container shipping service connecting China with Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

The carrier announced the China Red Sea Connector (CRC) on October 24, 2026, with the service scheduled for introduction during November.

ESL has allocated four container vessels to the new service, each with a capacity of approximately 2,500 TEU. The CRC will operate at roughly two-week intervals.

Its planned port rotation will be Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Sokhna – Aqaba – Jeddah.

The service will establish direct container shipping connections from three major Chinese ports to Red Sea gateways in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

In Egypt, the CRC will call at Sokhna Port, while Aqaba will serve as its Jordanian port of call. The rotation will also include Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The introduction of the CRC will add a China–Red Sea service to ESL’s network alongside its reorganized India–Red Sea operations.

Together, the revised SRS and NRS rotations and the new CRC service represent changes to Emirates Shipping Line’s regional container shipping network, with dedicated vessel deployments and defined sailing frequencies across the three services.

Source: Al Mal

Shipping Arabia, September 28, 2026 – The Emirates Shipping Line plastic waste ban will take effect on October 1, with the Dubai-headquartered carrier ending acceptance of plastic waste cargoes and becoming the second ocean shipping company to impose a blanket ban on the trade.

The company said it will no longer accept bookings for plastic waste classified under HS Code 3915. Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) linked the decision to its commitment to protecting marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

The move follows pressure from the Basel Action Network (BAN), which has called on members of the World Shipping Council to stop transporting plastic waste from developed countries to developing nations.

Emirates Shipping Line plastic waste ban covers HS Code 3915

Michael Davies, chief operating officer and regional director for the Middle East at Emirates Shipping Line, said the company considers the ban a positive step that reflects its focus on responsible shipping practices and compliance with applicable standards.

The decision means ESL will no longer accept cargo bookings falling under HS Code 3915 from October 1. The carrier’s action places it alongside CMA CGM in adopting a complete prohibition on transporting plastic waste.

CMA CGM stopped carrying plastic waste in 2022 following a campaign by BAN that targeted nine major shipping companies.

Basel Action Network calls for wider carrier action

BAN argues that ocean carriers play a central role in the global plastic waste trade because significant volumes are shipped to developing countries under the stated purpose of recycling.

According to the organization, some of this waste may ultimately be dumped in landfills, burned or processed under unsafe conditions. BAN has therefore been campaigning for shipping companies to stop transporting these cargoes from developed to developing countries.

Christopher Hudak, senior policy adviser at BAN, described ESL’s decision as another important achievement and called on the remaining members of the World Shipping Council to take similar action.

The Emirates Shipping Line plastic waste ban follows CMA CGM’s earlier decision and extends the number of carriers imposing blanket restrictions on the movement of this cargo category.

Source: Al Mal News