• MSC will add a direct Cape Town call to its Iroko service from late January 2026.
• The extension links China and Singapore directly to Southern, Central and West Africa.
• MSC will operate the service independently, offering higher capacity than rival services.

Mediterranean Shipping Company said it will extend its Iroko service to South Africa from late January 2026 by adding a direct call at the port of Cape Town. The change will connect China and Singapore directly to South Africa while maintaining service to ports in Central and West Africa.

MSC said the revised service will operate a rotation linking Asian ports including Ningbo, Nansha and Singapore with African ports on the southern, central and western coasts. The full rotation will be Ningbo – Nansha – Singapore – Cape Town – Pointe-Noire – Cotonou – Apapa – Tincan/Lagos – Onne – Lobito – Cape Town – Singapore – Xiamen – Ningbo.

The first vessel on the new rotation will be voyage FN604A, with a scheduled call at Ningbo on January 23, 2026.

MSC said it will operate the Iroko service independently, allowing it to offer higher capacity than competing services.
 “This reinforced service stands out in the market through its autonomous configuration and illustrates MSC’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s connectivity with its main trading partners, including China,” the company said.

MSC added that the service will support multiple sectors, including retail distribution, solar panel shipments and other consumer-oriented industries.

MSC launched the Iroko service in September 2025 as a direct maritime link between China, Singapore and several ports in West and Central Africa, including Pointe-Noire, Cotonou, Lagos, Onne and Lobito.

At launch, the company highlighted additional weekly connections designed to complement cargo flows transiting through regional hubs such as Lomé and Tema. MSC also emphasized reduced transshipment and feedering operations.

The deployment formed part of a broader strategy to expand MSC’s capacity on African trade routes, including the introduction of large container vessels on several corridors across the continent.

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