MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Company (MSC), one of the world's top three ocean liners and one of the P3 Alliance trio, has launched a direct service from Asia to West Africa, named Africa Express, to replace its existing transshipment service.

The service deploys ten 4,000 TEU container ships that turn in ten weeks.

The port rotation is: Nansha, Chiwan, Singapore, Port Louis, Lagos-Tincan, San Pedro, Abidjan, Ngqura, Colombo, Singapore, Nansha.

Volumes moved by transshipment via the Spanish port of Valencia between the carrier's Asia-Europe services and the Mediterranean-West Africa service will be transferred to the new service.

Connections will be offered at San Pedro to other West Africa ports.

The service offers a faster transit time of 28 days from Chiwan to Lagos, and 23 days from Singapore to Lagos. It also wayports at Port Louis southbound and at Ngqura northbound, reported Alphaliner.