DP World’s Shipping Solutions AMEA business has announced a new weekly maritime connection to expand trade channels between China and Africa.

The service, named the China Africa Link, is set to launch in late November 2026. It aims to improve maritime transport between major Chinese ports and key markets in East and Southern Africa, giving businesses more routing choices and creating robust supply chains across emerging trade corridors.

The weekly port rotation will run from Shanghai, Ningbo and Nansha in China, stopping at Port Klang Westport in Malaysia, before heading to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Maputo in Mozambique. The vessel will then return to Shanghai via Singapore.

This rotation is designed to move a diverse range of cargo. Exports from China will primarily consist of electronics, machinery, automotive components and construction materials. Return journeys from Africa will transport minerals, agricultural products and other regional commodities.

The launch aligns with DP World Marine Services’ Connected Trade Corridors strategy, which aims to integrate shipping links, ports and inland logistics into flexible trade networks.

Ganesh Raj, Global COO, Marine Services, DP World, said: “Global trade is changing, and our customers need more than shipping capacity. They need reliable connections, greater choice and the flexibility to adapt as trade patterns evolve. The new China Africa Link demonstrates how we are bringing our Connected Trade Corridors approach to life. By strengthening maritime connectivity between China and Africa, we are opening up more opportunities for businesses and creating smarter, more flexible shipping networks that help keep cargo moving.”

The new service directly complements significant infrastructure investments made by DP World across Africa. In Mozambique, the company is carrying out a $165 million expansion project at its Maputo container terminal to more than double its handling capability. Meanwhile, DP World has committed over $500 million toward modernising the Port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Together with the new maritime route, these capital projects demonstrate DP World’s effort to combine physical port infrastructure with active shipping services to expand options for customers and support South–South trade growth.