Temporary Middle East Product Update – South Africa & Island Exports Effective April 2026

Maersk remains committed to providing you with predictable, efficient, and reliable ocean solutions across all our corridors. As part of an ongoing product review and network simplification initiative, we will be implementing temporary adjustments to our Protea service connecting South Africa, the Islands, and the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent region.

Below is a summary of the upcoming changes:

1. Protea Service Transition to a 5‑Week Proforma

To enhance schedule reliability and reduce cascading disruptions across the network, the Protea service will move to a 5‑week rotation operating with 4 vessels.

• This means every 5th week will be blanked from Durban.
• Weekly coverage will resume thereafter on a 4‑week frequency cycle.

This structural change allows us to stabilise operations while maintaining consistent connectivity for your export cargo.

2. Removal of Jebel Ali (UAE) – Until Further Notice

Due to ongoing political tensions, the port of Jebel Ali will be removed from the Protea service until it is safe to call there again.

We will continue to provide alternative connectivity options to the UAE and wider Middle East through transshipment via India. Your Maersk representative can support with routing guidance tailored to your cargo flows.

3. Updated Rotation

The revised Protea rotation will be:
Mundra → Nhava Sheva → Durban → Mundra

This rotation strengthens our India–South Africa trade loop while ensuring continued access to key export and import markets.

4. First Sailing on the New Proforma

The updated rotation will commence with the following vessel:

Vessel: APL Cairo
Voyage: 616S
First Load Port: Mundra
ETD Mundra: 14 April 2026

Bookings for this and subsequent sailings will reflect the new proforma in our online schedules and booking platforms.

Thank you for your continued trust in Maersk. We remain focused on delivering resilient and efficient logistics solutions to support your business.