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CMA CGM is expanding its West Africa network with the introduction of KORA EXPRESS, a new weekly container service linking Northern Europe with key markets in Ghana, Nigeria and Benin. The service is scheduled to begin in late August and is designed to provide faster transit times, increased capacity and improved connectivity across the trade lane.
The first sailing will be performed by the Navios Verano, which is scheduled to depart Southampton on 26 August 2026.
Faster access to key West African markets
The new rotation will connect Southampton, Vlissingen, Antwerp, Tanger Med, Algeciras, Tema, Lekki, Cotonou and Dakar on a weekly basis.
For shippers moving cargo between Northern Europe and West Africa, transit time is often one of the biggest considerations. CMA CGM said the new service will offer Antwerp to Tema in 15 days, making it one of the fastest direct connections currently available on the route.
The service is expected to benefit exporters of consumer goods, industrial equipment, project cargo in containers and other manufactured products destined for some of West Africa’s fastest growing economies.
Dedicated capacity and wider network connections
KORA EXPRESS will be operated entirely by CMA CGM using vessels with a nominal capacity of approximately 4,200 TEU. A dedicated fleet should provide customers with greater schedule reliability while supporting growing cargo volumes between Europe and the region.
The carrier is also relying on its hub network at Tanger Med and Algeciras to extend cargo connections beyond the direct rotation. This allows customers to link shipments from Northern Europe with CMA CGM’s wider global services while maintaining regular access to West African ports.
What does that mean for shippers? Instead of relying on multiple carrier agreements, cargo can move through a single network with coordinated transhipment options and scheduled weekly departures.
EURAF 5 shifts focus to southern West Africa
Alongside the launch of KORA EXPRESS, CMA CGM is repositioning its EURAF 5 service to concentrate on the southern West African range.
The revised rotation will call at Tanger Med, Nouakchott, Kribi, Libreville, Pointe Noire and Luanda, providing direct coverage for Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and Angola.
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