South African shipping line Safmarine has added the port of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, as a direct call for its Gulf to East Africa service.
Part of the company's Masiika Express service between the Arabian Persian Gulf and East Africa, the new call at Sharjah will provide direct access to the East African ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa.
Jan Scheck, Safmarine’s liner executive, commented: 'Sharjah is currently served via a feeder to Jebel Ali and a direct call will allow Safmarine to further improve on the service we’re currently offering our growing customer base in the Gulf and Africa. The first call at Sharjah will be made on 9 June 2010 by the vessel ER Elsfleth.'
Capacity will not be increased, according to the company, and the service – which is a joint Safmarine-Maersk Line service - will continue to deploy its current fleet of 2,500-TEU vessels.
The revised port rotation will include the following stops: Sharjah - Jebel Ali - Salalah - Dar Es Salaam - Mombasa - Salalah - Sharjah.
