CMA CGM is launching its new KORA EXPRESS service, a weekly container shipping route designed to significantly enhance connectivity between Northern Europe and West Africa. This new service will provide direct calls to vital West African markets, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin, promising faster transit times, expanded capacity, and greater network reliability.

A key highlight of the KORA EXPRESS service is its industry-leading 15-day transit time from Antwerp to Tema, Ghana. The service will utilize 4,200-TEU vessels operating on a weekly schedule, with all operations managed by CMA CGM. The inaugural voyage is scheduled to depart Southampton on August 26, 2026, aboard the Navios Verano. The KORA EXPRESS route will encompass calls at Southampton, Vlissingen, Antwerp, Tanger Med, Algeciras, Tema, Lekki, Cotonou, and Dakar.

Furthermore, customers utilizing the KORA EXPRESS service will benefit from seamless connections through CMA CGM’s Tanger Med and Algeciras hubs, granting them access to the carrier’s extensive global network.

In conjunction with the KORA EXPRESS launch, CMA CGM is also repositioning its EURAF 5 service to specifically cater to the South Range of West Africa. This revised EURAF 5 rotation will serve Tanger Med, Nouakchott, Kribi, Libreville, Pointe Noire, and Luanda, offering direct shipping coverage to Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, and Angola.

CMA CGM emphasizes that these two strategic services will provide dedicated and optimized coverage across the entirety of West Africa, improving transit times and delivering more tailored shipping solutions for its customers.

CMA CGM launches KORA EXPRESS service linking North Europe and West Africa