Carriers redraw Far East–India links as joint loop breaks into two

The joint Far East–India container service operated by Emirates Shipping Line, Evergreen Marine, Gold Star Line and KMTC is being restructured, with the partners splitting their cooperation into two distinct service set‑ups.

Under the shake‑up, Gold Star Line is teaming up with Global Feeder Shipping on a revamped NIX service that will deploy five vessels of around 5,000 TEU each on a loop covering Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen (Da Chan), Port Klang, Nhava Sheva, Hazira, Mundra, Port Klang and Hai Phong before returning to Shanghai.

The remaining trio—Emirates Shipping Line, Evergreen and KMTC – will retain their collaboration on a rebranded CSX2/CIX3/AIS3 service, using six ships of roughly 7,500 TEU on a rotation linking Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen (Shekou), Port Klang, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Port Klang and back to Shanghai.

According to Alphaliner, the decision to divide the long‑running joint loop into separate products underlines how carriers on the Far East–India corridor are fine‑tuning partnerships and redeploying tonnage to gain more flexibility in port coverage, vessel sizing and schedule design.

The move also reflects a broader trend of tactical network adjustments on intra‑Asia and Asia–India trades, as operators respond to shifting demand, congestion risks at key hubs such as Port Klang and Nhava Sheva, and the need to preserve service reliability amid tight capacity and volatile freight markets.