Maersk launches FI2 ocean service
A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has announced the launch of FI2, a new dedicated ocean service connecting Far East Asia to the Indian Subcontinent, with the first Westbound sailing departing Shanghai on June 4th, 2026. The service has been introduced in direct response to growing customer demand for additional capacity on the China–India trade route and will provide Indian importers and exporters with a quicker, reliable, high-frequency connection to key manufacturing and sourcing hubs across North West India.
The weekly service will be operated with a fleet of six vessels with a nominal capacity of 4,500 TEU. The port rotation will be Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Tanjung Pelepas – Nhava Sheva – Pipavav – Port Qasim.
A defining feature of the FI2 service is its call at Pipavav on India's northwestern coastline in Gujarat. Pipavav serves as a gateway to the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) rail network, enabling Maersk to offer customers a seamless, integrated logistics solution beyond the port gate. Through DFC rail connectivity, cargo arriving at Pipavav can be efficiently transported inland to the National Capital Region (NCR), including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and the surrounding industrial belts. This reduces transit times and ensures reliable delivery to the destination. This makes FI2 particularly compelling for customers moving high-value and time-sensitive cargo in automotive, chemicals, retail, and technology verticals who require dependable, door-to-door supply chain solutions.
Thomas Theeuwes, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia, commented, “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 joins Maersk’s existing FI3 service, together forming two direct Far East – India ocean services. Together, they deliver improved frequency options, greater routing flexibility, and enhanced resilience, ensuring customers can better plan and protect their supply chains from disruption.
