Maersk launches FI2 service to boost China–India ocean trade
The weekly service will use six 4,500 TEU vessels and connect Pipavav to the Dedicated Freight Corridor, improving inland cargo movement to NCR.
Maersk has launched FI2, a new dedicated ocean service connecting Far East Asia to the Indian Subcontinent, in response to growing customer demand for additional capacity on the China–India trade route. The first westbound sailing will depart from Shanghai on June 4, 2026, offering Indian importers and exporters a quicker, reliable and high-frequency connection to key manufacturing and sourcing hubs in northwest India.
The dedicated weekly service from Southern and Eastern China to Northwest India is aimed at customers across the automotive, chemicals, technology and retail sectors. It will operate with a fleet of six vessels, each with a nominal capacity of 4,500 TEU. The port rotation includes Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Nhava Sheva, Pipavav and Port Qasim.
A key feature of the FI2 service is its call at Pipavav on India’s northwestern coast in Gujarat, which serves as a gateway to the Dedicated Freight Corridor rail network. Through this connectivity, cargo arriving at Pipavav can be transported inland to the National Capital Region, including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and nearby industrial areas, helping reduce transit times and improve delivery reliability.
The company said the rail link allows it to provide customers with an integrated logistics solution beyond the port, particularly for high-value and time-sensitive cargo across automotive, chemicals, retail and technology sectors.
Thomas Theeuwes, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia, said: “The FI2 is a direct response to what our customers want: more capacity, consistency, and connectivity, on the China-India route. By combining the weekly ocean service with our rail solution via the DFC, we are going a step further and giving our customers the true integrated logistics experience.”
The FI2 service will complement Maersk’s existing FI3 service, with the two direct Far East–India ocean services together offering improved frequency options, greater routing flexibility and stronger supply chain resilience for customers.
