GT Lines

Shipping Arabia, October 14, 2026 – GT Lines has announced the launch of its new KRX 1 – Khorfakkan Red Sea Express service, establishing a direct maritime connection between Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates and Djibouti. The service will operate every 14 days, strengthening shipping connectivity between the Gulf and East Africa while improving access to the Ethiopian market.

Scheduled to commence in October 2026, the new service forms part of GT Lines’ regional network expansion. It will connect Khorfakkan directly with Djibouti while integrating with the wider Gulftainer terminal and feeder network.

The company aims to provide customers with reliable and efficient maritime connections across key regional markets. The new route will also strengthen Khorfakkan’s role as a hub linking Gulf shipping networks with Djibouti and onward trade connections to Ethiopia.

Khorfakkan Red Sea Express Service Rotation and Schedule

The new Khorfakkan Red Sea Express service, designated KRX 1, will operate a direct Khorfakkan–Djibouti–Khorfakkan rotation using one vessel.

According to the published service schedule, the vessel will depart Khorfakkan on Day 1 and arrive in Djibouti on Day 7. It will then return to Khorfakkan on Day 14, completing the scheduled rotation.

This operating structure will provide a sailing frequency of once every 14 days, offering a regular maritime connection between the two ports.

GT Lines has identified the direct connection with Djibouti as a key feature of the service. The company expects the route to strengthen access to Ethiopia through Djibouti while improving maritime transport links between the Gulf and East Africa.

Integration With Gulftainer’s Regional Feeder Network

A central feature of the new KRX 1 service is its integration with the Gulftainer ecosystem, which provides access to a wider network of regional ports and shipping connections.

The service will use Khorfakkan as its Gulf hub, connecting the direct Djibouti route with GT Lines’ existing feeder network.

The published network map identifies connections involving Umm Qasr in Iraq, Shuwaikh in Kuwait, Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Hamad Port in Qatar and Sharjah in the UAE.

These connections form part of the wider regional network rather than additional calls on the direct KRX 1 rotation. Through this network, GT Lines intends to provide customers with access to multiple Gulf markets alongside the new Djibouti connection.

The integration is designed to support more efficient cargo movement between regional shipping services and the direct Khorfakkan–Djibouti route.

Strengthening Gulf–East Africa Maritime Connectivity

The introduction of KRX 1 expands GT Lines’ regional shipping network by adding a direct connection between Khorfakkan and Djibouti.

The company highlighted the importance of improving access to Ethiopia through Djibouti, identifying the new service as an opportunity to strengthen maritime connections serving the East African market.

At the same time, the service will provide another link between Gulf markets and the wider Red Sea region through Khorfakkan’s established role within the Gulftainer network.

According to GT Lines, the expansion reflects its focus on providing reliable, direct and efficient shipping connections across regional markets. The company also emphasized the benefits of combining the new route with existing terminal and feeder operations.

With operations scheduled to begin in October 2026, the Khorfakkan Red Sea Express will add a fortnightly shipping connection between the UAE and Djibouti, supporting GT Lines’ efforts to expand its regional network and improve maritime connectivity between the Gulf and East Africa.

Source: Gulftainer

Shipping Arabia, October 1, 2026 – Gulftainer has expanded its cargo solutions with the introduction of GT SMART LINE by GT Lines and the Express Move port-to-door service from Khorfakkan Port. The two offerings target different stages of the cargo journey, with GT SMART LINE providing greater flexibility for late-ready export cargo and Express Move combining port, customs clearance and inland transport services for imports.

GT SMART LINE is GT Lines’ first value-added shipping solution and becomes available from October 1, 2026. Its Late Gate-In Express option, known as LGI, allows eligible cargo to access the terminal up to 12 hours before vessel departure, subject to operational acceptance.

GT SMART LINE Extends Gate-In Flexibility

The GT SMART LINE service is designed for cargo that becomes ready after the standard gate-in window. Through the LGI option, shippers can request late gate-in access closer to vessel departure while retaining space on the planned sailing, subject to operational acceptance.

GT Lines presents the service as a five-step process. Customers first select the LGI option, submit a request and receive confirmation before proceeding with gate-in and the planned sailing.

The company said the solution is intended to reduce the risk of cargo missing its scheduled sailing while giving shippers a simpler option for late-ready shipments. The service combines flexible gate-in access of up to 12 hours before departure with allocated space on the planned sailing, with operational acceptance applying to the arrangement.

GT SMART LINE is positioned as one flexible gate-in solution for customers whose cargo readiness does not align with the standard terminal window. GT Lines said the service forms part of its efforts to provide more flexible and reliable shipping options.

Express Move Connects Khorfakkan Port to the Customer’s Door

Gulftainer is also offering Express Move, an all-in-one import delivery service that combines port charges, customs clearance and inland transport. The service moves cargo from Khorfakkan Port to the customer’s warehouse under a bundled price per container and a single point of contact.

Under the Express Move process, cargo is discharged at Khorfakkan Port before customs clearance and inland trucking. Gulftainer then delivers the container to the customer’s door within a maximum of three days of discharge before repositioning the empty container back to Sajaa.

The service includes early visibility through a pre-alert for cargo arrival. Gulftainer also states that there are no storage charges at Khorfakkan Port under the three-day delivery arrangement, while empty-container repositioning from the customer’s warehouse to Sajaa is covered within the service.

Customers receive six hours of free offloading time at the delivery location. The service is structured around one contact covering the port, clearance and transport stages.

Port, Clearance and Inland Transport in One Service

Express Move is designed to consolidate several import delivery activities into a single arrangement. Gulftainer describes the service as combining port charges, customs clearance and transport in one invoice, with the aim of simplifying the movement of cargo from Khorfakkan Port to the final delivery point.

The service is subject to several conditions. Import documents must be submitted on time, while Bill of Entry and duty costs are charged at actuals. Inspection and Public Relations Officer charges also apply at actual cost where applicable, as do toll and road-permission charges where required.

Together, the two Gulftainer cargo solutions address both the ocean and inland stages of container movement. GT SMART LINE gives eligible late-ready cargo additional gate-in flexibility before vessel departure, while Express Move combines the port, clearance, inland delivery and empty-container return process for imports moving through Khorfakkan.

Source: Gulftainer