DP World’s Shipping Solutions business is launching a dedicated weekly service linking China to East and Southern Africa, adding a new route to its growing network of what the company calls Connected Trade Corridors.
The China Africa Link, scheduled to begin in late November 2026, will operate a rotation calling at Shanghai, Ningbo and Nansha in China, Port Klang Westport in Malaysia, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Maputo in Mozambique, and Singapore before returning to Shanghai.
The service is designed to carry Chinese exports including machinery, electronics, construction materials and automotive components, alongside African commodities such as agricultural products and minerals heading in the other direction.
“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,” Ganesh Raj, Global COO, Marine Services, DP World said in a statement.
The new route sits alongside substantial infrastructure commitments DP World has already made in the region. The company is undertaking a $165 million expansion of its Maputo container terminal in Mozambique, intended to more than double handling capacity, and has committed more than $500 million to modernising the Port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Both ports feature on the China Africa Link’s rotation, positioning the shipping service as an extension of those ground-level investments rather than a standalone announcement.
