The Swiss shipping company MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) announced it has launched a new intermodal route between Ethiopia and Djibouti. "As the first MSC intermodal service in Ethiopia, it is a key milestone for progress in the region," the company said in an official statement. "The new solution combines road and rail transport to facilitate smooth imports and exports out of landlocked Ethiopia."
MSC will offer two weekly services, connecting their global network to the Port of Djibouti, Ethiopia's main gateway:
- The PETRA service: Connecting China, Far East, Southeast Asia and all cargo routed via Singapore to Djibouti; and
- The NWC IPAK service: A direct connection to North Europe, and a connection to the US, MED, and IPAK regions via our regional transshipment hub King Abdullah Port (Saudi Arabia).
"We have been enthusiastically exploring our options for the past few years, and are excited to offer this intermodal solution that we believe will add value to MSC service," says Soji Thomas Korah, General Manager, MSC Ethiopia. "The Far East, Southeast Asia, U.S, IPAK, & NWC are all key markets for both Djibouti and Ethiopia. Our new intermodal services will be vital for coffee and garment export shipments to these regions."
Starting March 2022, two East African gateways will feature services from German carrier Hapag-Lloyd to match demand towards major Asian ports. "Our current East Africa and Asia, EAS3, will be focusing on service capabilities to connect Kenya with Asia while our brand new EAS4 will ensure a direct link between Tanzania and Asia," the statement highlighted.
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Source: Logistics Update Africa
