The Danish shipowner will modify its services WAF1, WAF3, WAF5 and WAF6 from the third week of December 2026. The changes foresee a new link between Algeciras, Tangier and Dakar, as well as the addition of several West African ports to the existing rotations.
Maersk announced on 19 October 2026 a reorganization of its container shipping network between the Western Mediterranean and West Africa. The scheme provides for the launch of a new WAF1 rotation and the extension of WAF3, WAF5 and WAF6 coverage.
The amendments must come into force in the region as of the third week of December. They aim to develop connections via the ports of Algeciras, Spain, and Tangier Med, Morocco, to several African markets.
The new WAF1 service will provide a link between Algeciras, Tangier and Dakar, according to the rotation Algeciras–Tanger–Dakar–Algeciras. This organization should facilitate the transport to Senegal of goods from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, through connections with the Maersk international maritime network.
The WAF5 service will also be reorganized around a new rotation between Algeciras and Tangier to Monrovia, Liberia, Abidjan and San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire, Takoradi, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria, before returning to Algeciras.
The other two services will be expanded. The WAF3 will integrate the ports of Tema, Ghana, Onne, Nigeria, and Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo. WAF6 will also serve Cotonou, Benin.
These adjustments concern several markets in the Gulf of Guinea and Central Africa, with new possibilities for connecting African ports with the Western Mediterranean. Maersk points out, however, that the timetables are still subject to change.
This regional reorganisation takes place while the shipowner also adjusts certain intercontinental services of its Gemini network, operated with Hapag-Lloyd. A new line, AE18, has to interconnect several Asian ports to Algeciras and Tanger Med from November 2026, while the rotations AE2, AE11 and AE19 will be modified.
These separate changes relate to the links between Asia and the Mediterranean and may affect the connections available for goods to West Africa.
