Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) will launch two new maritime services, FAX2 and FAX3, from December and November 2026 respectively. These links are to strengthen the service of several ports in East and Southern Africa from China, including a new direct stopover in Maputo, Mozambique, and a service from Mombasa, Kenya.

FAX3 service, scheduled for first departure from Shanghai on November 25, will serve Ningbo, Nansha, Port Klang in Malaysia, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, then Maputo, before returning to Shanghai via Singapore.

From Maputo, ESL also announces opportunities to connect to neighbouring markets, including Eswatini, Zimbabwe and South Africa. This extension marks the entry of the carrier into the Mozambican market.

The second service, FAX2, is scheduled to enter into operation on December 5, 2026 from Qingdao. Its rotation will include Ningbo, Nansha, Port Klang and Mombasa, before returning to China.

This line will provide a dedicated link between several Chinese ports and the main Kenyan port, which is a gateway to East African markets and to the landlocked countries of the region.

These two new rotations will complement the FAX service already operated by ESL, which mainly serves Dar es Salaam and Mombasa from several Chinese ports. With all three lines, the carrier will have several routes linking China to strategic ports in Eastern and Southern Africa.

However, the impact of this extension will depend on the actual frequency of rotations, deployed capacities and proposed commercial conditions for shippers.