HMM has announced the upcoming launch of its new Mediterranean-West Africa Service (MA2), scheduled to commence operations in the second week of July 2026. The new container line is a core element of HMM’s aggressive “hub-and-spoke” strategy, designed to expand its regional feeder networks and capture growth in high-potential emerging markets.
The service will utilize Algeciras, Spain, as a primary Mediterranean transshipment hub, seamlessly connecting West African cargo to HMM’s mainline East-West trade lanes.
Joint Fleet and Strategic Port Rotation
The MA2 service will be operated in close cooperation with Ocean Network Express (ONE). The joint venture will deploy a fleet of five 2,800 TEU container vessels on a fixed schedule, maintaining a total round-trip duration of 35 days.
The service is engineered to link key maritime gateways across North and West Africa:
Algeciras (Spain) – Tangier (Morocco) – Dakar (Senegal) – Tema (Ghana) – Lekki (Nigeria) – Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) – Algeciras
By integrating the newly developed deep-water port at Lekki alongside established hubs like Tema and Abidjan, HMM provides shippers with optimized transit times into the heart of West Africa’s largest economies.
Advancing the Hub-and-Spoke Ecosystem
The launch of the MA2 service follows a massive capacity push by HMM to secure its feeder infrastructure. Over the last six months, the carrier has aggressively expanded its regional fleet, securing a total of 24 feeder vessels to feed its primary global hubs:
- March 2026: Ordered ten 2,800 TEU ships from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
- Early 2026: Acquired two 1,900 TEU vessels directly from the secondary market.
- October 2025: Placed orders for twelve vessels ranging between 1,800 and 2,700 TEU.
This extensive fleet expansion provides HMM with the dedicated operational control needed to guarantee reliable schedules and competitive transit times between its main-haul services and regional networks.
Connecting Emerging Markets to Global Trade
According to an HMM official, the MA2 service will serve as a strategic gateway that bridges the gap between global main-haul routes and the rapidly growing African consumer market. By combining transshipment capabilities at Algeciras and Tangier with dedicated regional tonnage, HMM aims to deliver a highly efficient, differentiated logistics solution for global importers and exporters alike.
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