Maersk has launched a new weekly ocean service connecting Far East Asia with the Indian Subcontinent, in response to demand for additional capacity on the China-India trade route.
The FI2 service will begin with its first westbound sailing from Shanghai on 4 June 2026. It will connect Southern and Eastern China with North West India, targeting customers in sectors including automotive, chemicals, technology and retail.
The service will be operated by six vessels with a nominal capacity of 4,500 TEU. Its port rotation will be Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Nhava Sheva, Pipavav and Port Qasim.
Maersk said the inclusion of Pipavav, on India’s northwestern coastline in Gujarat, is a key part of the service. The port provides access to the Dedicated Freight Corridor rail network, supporting inland connections to the National Capital Region, including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and surrounding industrial areas.
According to the company, this rail link is intended to support faster inland movement and more reliable delivery for cargo moving beyond the port gate.
Thomas Theeuwes, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia, said: “The FI2 is a direct response to what our customers want: more capacity, consistency, and connectivity, on the China-India route. By combining the weekly ocean service with our rail solution via the DFC, we are going a step further and giving our customers the true integrated logistics experience.”
FI2 will complement Maersk’s existing FI3 service. The company said the two direct Far East-India services will provide customers with more frequency options, routing flexibility and network resilience.
