MSC will roll out shorter transit times between South Africa and the Northwest Continent of Europe for sailings scheduled in January and February 2026.
As part of this adjustment, the line will remove the Port Elizabeth call and replace it with a call at Cape Town. MSC has also renamed the service, changing it from the Eastern Cape Express to the Western Cape Express to reflect the updated routing.
According to MSC, the revised service will improve speed and reliability on shipments moving to key European gateways, including London Gateway and Rotterdam. The company noted that the changes are expected to support exporters in the region, especially those shipping fresh produce that depends on predictable transit times.
The first vessel to operate on the new service rotation will be the MSC Tania on voyage WM601R, departing in week 02. This sailing will mark the official start of the Western Cape Express under the revised port rotation, which MSC says is designed to streamline connections between Southern African and Northern European markets.
source: africaports.co.za
