Increased capacity and service frequency between key Chinese ports and East African markets with the new FHX and FNX services.
ESL has announced the launch of two new services the Fahari (FHX) service and the Fanaka (FNX) service – evolved from their previous Far East Africa Express (FAX).
Both services provide seamless connectivity between Chinese markets to East Africa. The Fahari (FHX) service will have Mombasa, Kenya as its sole East African call, while the Fanaka (FNX) service has Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as its focus East African market.
Both service names – Fahari (Pride or Splendor in Swahili) and Fanaka (Prosperity or Success in Swahili) – were chosen as a reminder of the liner’s commitment to the region: to create splendour through taking pride in their service to the East African market, while continuously driving prosperity for and delivering success to their customers.
These service names aren’t just words; they’re a commitment to ESL’s customers and partners, to enhancing service reliability to the region with these direct and consistent weekly services.
FHX service rotation: Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Port Klang – Mombasa – Port Klang – Qingdao
FNX service rotation: Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Shekou – Port Klang – Dar es Salaam – Port Klang – Qingdao
The FNX service will commence on 20th October, while the FHX service will commence on 21st October, both departing from Qingdao.
Enhanced coverage of the Far East and Middle East with ESL’s revamped GLX and CMX services, and new SMX service.
ESL has announced the revamp of the existing Galaxy (GLX) and Cosmos (CMX) services, as well as the new Sirius (SMX) service. Collectively, all three services enhance overall Far East-Middle East connectivity, providing the widest and most in-depth coverage in the market.
The Sirius service, named after the brightest star in the night sky, lights the way to further sconnectivity between the Far East and Middle East, with a focus on serving key South Chinese ports, viz. Nansha and Da Chan Bay.
In line with their focus on creating network solutions optimised to evolving market demands, ESL has further made modifications to the GLX and CMX service rotations by reshuffling port calls. The strategic alignment of routes has reduced transit times and increased service frequency between regions, as well as enhanced overall network connectivity. Hamad and Bahrain are the newest additions to the liner’s Far East-Middle East specialised services.
GLX service rotation: Busan – Qingdao – Xiamen – Da Chan Bay – Port Klang – Jebel Ali – Dammam – Bahrain – Busan
CMX service rotation: Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou – Singapore – Jebel Ali – Khor Fakkan – Sohar – Port Klang – Shanghai
SMX service rotation: Nansha – Da Chan Bay – Port Klang – Jebel Ali – Hamad – Nansha
The revamped GLX and CMX services will commence on 29th October from Busan and Shanghai respectively, while the SMX maiden voyage will begin on 8th November.
The launch of the Southeast Asia Gulf India (SGI) service marks ESL’s expansion into Indonesia.
ESL is pleased to announce the launch of the Southeast Asia Gulf India (SGI) service, revamped from the previous VGI service.
The new butterfly service provides direct connectivity between Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East.
The first loop of the butterfly service covers Laem Chabang – Singapore – Port Klang – Nhava Sheva – Jebel Ali – Dammam – Nhava Sheva – Port Klang. The second rotation covers Port Klang – Cai Mep – Jakarta – Port Klang – Mundra – Jebel Ali – Dammam – Mundra – Port Klang – Laem Chabang.
The maiden voyages will depart from Laem Chabang on 16th May and from Cai Mep on 19th May.
Coverage within Southeast Asia and the India has increased with the addition of Singapore, Jakarta and Mundra to the service rotation.
Most notably, the call at Jakarta marks ESL’s expansion into the Indonesian market. The country presents immense potential, with a positive macroeconomic outlook, and a strong domestic market.
The weekly FAX service will deploy vessels ranging from 2,500 TEU’s to 3,000 TEU’s. In collaboration with our partners, it will provide fast transit time from North, Central and South China and Southeast Asia via Port Klang to East Africa. Additionally, the FAX service will ensure connectivity to inland delivery locations in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda (via the Mombasa gateway) and Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia (via the Dar es Salaam gateway).
The maiden voyage will depart from Qingdao on 5th November 2023. The rotation of the FAX service is Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Port Klang – Mombasa – Dar es Salaam – Port Klang.
“ESL has a long-term presence in the East African trades, and we remain committed to expanding our network. The new FAX service will provide the first direct service connecting Qingdao to Dar es Salaam, and we look forward to servicing our valued customers”, said Mr. Till Ole Barreled, Chief Executive Officer of ESL on the launch of the new FAX service.
The addition of the new flagship service, as well as the modification of GLX’s port rotation serve to improve transit times and increase frequency between the Far East and Middle East.
Effective 2nd April, ESL’s flagship service – the GALEX (GLX) service – will work in tandem with the new COSMOS (CMX) service to enhance connectivity between the Far East and the Middle East. The original GALEX service, which was recently revamped, will undergo modifications to its service rotation.
The CMX service primarily serves ports in Central China, viz. Shanghai and Ningbo, and Da Chan Bay in South China, while the GLX service will serve Busan in South Korea, Qingdao in North China, and Xiamen, Nansha and Da Chan Bay in South China. Both services complementarily reduce transit times from East Asia to the Middle East and increase overall frequency of services between the regions.
The new addition of the CMX service brings the total number of ESL services passing through Jebel Ali to nine, providing customers access to key ports to the Indian Subcontinent and Africa via other ESL main line and feeder services. It is the company’s second service from Central China and third service from South China to the Middle East. The CMX service offers market leading transit time from Central and South China as the service continues to the Middle East without any additional stops on its westbound journey.
With GLX’s revamped service rotation, customers in the Upper Gulf, the Red Sea and Africa will enjoy reduced transit times to key ports in Asia through Jebel Ali.
ESL stays committed to continually improving their existing service offerings to ensure that routes are optimised. The inception of the CMX service and the modification of the GLX service will synchronously enhance the liner’s ability to provide reliable services that simplify their customers’ shipping experience.
COSMOS rotation: Shanghai – Ningbo – Da Chan Bay – Jebel Ali – Sohar – Port Klang – Shanghai
GALEX rotation: Busan – Qingdao – Xiamen – Nansha – Da Chan Bay – Port Klang – Jebel Ali – Dammam – Khor Fakkan – Busan
All three services enhance connectivity to the Middle East.
Effective 14th February, ESL’s flagship GALEX servicewill provide direct connections between key Chinese ports and the newest addition – the dynamic Saudi Arabian maritime hub of Dammam.In addition, the modified port rotation reduces transit time between key ports in China and Jebel Ali, as well as ensurescontinued coverage into Sohar, Oman and Khor Fakkan, UAE.
The Gulf Pakistan Shuttle (GPS), an upgrade from the liner’s earlier JBS service, provides direct access between Pakistan, Shuwaikh and Dammam, as well as to the transshipment hub in Jebel Ali, with further connections to the ESL network in Asia, the Red Sea and East Africa. The service’s first voyage will begin on the 6th of February.
Finally, the Jebel Ali Bahrain Express (JBX) service, which commences on the 15th of February, is an exclusive weekly shuttle between Jebel Ali and Bahrain.Bahraini customers can utiliseJebel Ali as a transshipment hub, and tap into wider markets in Asia, the Red Sea, the Indian Subcontinent and Africa.
All three services pass through Jebel Ali,bringing the total number of ESL services passing through the port to eight. With its strategic position at the intersection of East-West trade routes, the connectivity and transshipment possibilitiesafforded by this fast-growing hubopens a realm of trade growth opportunities for customers, no matter where they may be. Customers can access key ports in the Middle East, as well as ports in other regions via other ESL main line and feeder services.
The liner continually revisits their existing service offerings to ensure that routes are planned optimally, and transit times are adjusted to be best aligned with customer demands. The revamp of ESL’s flagship service as well as the introduction of two new ones underscore the company’s commitment to being a driver of trade in the regions they service.
GALEX service rotation: Busan – Qingdao – Shanghai – Xiamen – Da Chan Bay – Port Klang – Jebel Ali – Dammam – Khor Fakkan – Sohar – Port Klang – Busan
GPS service rotation: Jebel Ali – Karachi – Sohar – Jebel Ali – Kuwait – Dammam – Jebel Ali
JBX service rotation: Jebel Ali – Bahrain – Jebel Ali
