CMA CGM has launched its new KILIMA service, a weekly standalone direct service connecting the Far East to East Africa and the Indian Ocean. The service became effective in August 2025, with the first call in Mombasa occurring on August 24, 2025. This new route is specifically designed to streamline operations and enhance the customer experience across these key trade lanes.
The KILIMA service is a direct link from China to Kenya (Mombasa) and Tanzania. It ensures full coverage of major Asian ports through efficient transshipment operations conducted at the hub in Singapore.
The service also strategically calls at Colombo on its route to and from East Africa. This stop allows CMA CGM to efficiently connect volumes originating from the India East Coast via relay. Additionally, the capital of the Maldives, Male, is served in relay via Colombo using the dedicated MALE SHUTTLE service, which began its first departure from Colombo on August 25, 2025.
Through various feeder and relay connections from Mombasa and Lamu, the KILIMA service significantly expands CMA CGM’s reach across the wider region:
Crucially, the KILIMA service also facilitates inland connectivity to several landlocked countries in Africa, including Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, and the DRC, thereby supporting regional trade and economic growth beyond the immediate coastal ports.
