French shipping giant CMA CGM is upgrading services between the Indian subcontinent and east Africa and the Middle East starting this month with the December 5 first sailing of the New Naoura Express and the December 15 sailing of the New Swahili Express.

With these services, the CMA CGM is the only shipping company offering a direct service between India and Zanzibar, said a company statement, adding that transit times from the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East will be "significantly" reduced.

With the Naoura Express and the New Swahili Express, CMA CGM said it will optimise rotations, thanks to the double weekly service specialisation with a 21-day turn time.

Somalia will also get a weekly call. One of the two loops will provide a four-day improved transit time from the United Arab Emirates, and a five-days improved transit to Zanzibar as well as a weekly service between Mombasa and Mogadishu.

The New Naoura Express will operate four 1,800 to 2,200-TEU vessels on the following rotation: Jebel Ali, Khor Fakkan, Mombasa, Mogadishu and back to Jebel Ali.

The New Swahili Express will operate six 2,800-TEU vessels, the biggest in the area, on the following rotation: Nhava Sheva, Jebel Ali, Khor Fakkan, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Nacala and back to Nava Sheva.

"Thanks to CMA CGM tailor made intermodal and logistics solutions, African land-locked countries will be connected to the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East," said the company statement.

The CMA CGM Group's presence is assured on the entire African continent through its commercial brands CMA CGM and Delmas. CMA CGM and Delmas lines' complementarity led to African service network reinforcement.