MARSEILLE-BASED box line CMA CGM is to update on its Asea Kenya service, offering a direct weekly call at Qingdao port.

In particular, starting with the 2005-built container vessel Emmanuel P with an estimated time of arrival in Qingdao on October 9, the Asea Kenya service will offer a direct weekly call at Qingdao and a faster transit time from North China to Kenya.

The new rotation will be Qingdao (China), Shanghai (China, Ningbo (China), Nansha (China, Singapore, Port Klang (Malaysia), Mombasa (Kenya), Singapore and returning to Qingdao, reports Greece's Container News.

CMA CGM said its service will need 27 days from Qingdao to Mombasa, 24 days from Shanghai to Mombasa and 20 days from Nansha to the Kenyan port.

According to the company, containers currently in transshipment at Colombo towards Mogadishu, Nacala and Comoros will be routed via Mombasa and loaded on its NOURA service, which will add Mombasa to its rotation before Mogadishu.

Mogadishu, Nacala and Comoros will now be offered nine days faster service from Asia, while Mayotte will continue to be served in transshipment at Mombasa on JEDDEX service and Zanzibar and Tanga will continue to be offered via Mombasa.