CMA CGM reshapes India–Mediterranean service amid Red Sea disruptions

French shipping major CMA CGM has revised the port rotation of its weekly India–Mediterranean Medex service, recalibrating the loop to improve operational efficiency and maintain schedule reliability in light of ongoing uncertainties in the Red Sea region.

The updated rotation introduces calls at Malta, Port Said in Egypt and Beirut, while dropping earlier stops at Valencia and Barcelona in Spain and Fos-sur-Mer in France. According to the company, the changes are designed to better align the service with prevailing cargo flows and to streamline operations as carriers continue to adapt to shifting security and routing conditions.

The redesign comes against the backdrop of prolonged instability in the Red Sea, which has disrupted traditional east–west trade lanes and compelled many shipping lines to divert vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. While some operators have cautiously resumed limited transits through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal as conditions show signs of stabilising, uncertainty continues to influence network planning decisions.

By reshaping the Medex loop, CMA CGM is seeking to retain strong connectivity between the Indian subcontinent and strategically important Mediterranean hubs, while preserving flexibility in its wider network. The move is aimed at offering shippers greater predictability at a time when global liner schedules remain under pressure.

Industry analysts, cited by the Journal of Commerce, note that such adjustments are increasingly common as ocean carriers fine-tune port rotations and service structures to manage geopolitical risks, improve reliability and respond to evolving trade patterns linked to Red Sea transits.