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
