Maersk Expands WAF7 Service to South Africa to Support Peak Fruit Export Season

Source: Youhanna Azmy

The carrier has unveiled plans to modify its WAF7 service connecting the Mediterranean and West Africa. Under the revised network structure, the service will be extended to South Africa, providing additional transport capacity to support the country's fruit export season, which is now entering its peak period.

Updated WAF7 Service Rotation

Under the new service configuration, the WAF7 port rotation will be: Tangier – Conakry – Pointe Noire – Port Elizabeth – Tangier

The addition of Pointe Noire (Republic of the Congo) and Port Elizabeth (South Africa) will strengthen Maersk's connectivity across both West and Southern Africa while offering shippers greater transportation options during the agricultural export season.

Freetown Shifted to Dedicated Feeder Service

Alongside the expansion of WAF7, Maersk will remove Freetown (Sierra Leone) from the service rotation.

However, connectivity to Freetown will continue through the dedicated Northern West Africa Plus (NWAP) feeder service, which operates directly between Tangier and Freetown.

This network adjustment enables Maersk to enhance capacity for the South African market while maintaining reliable service coverage to Sierra Leone through a dedicated feeder solution.

Focused on Supporting Seasonal Export Demand

According to Maersk, the latest network adjustment is designed to accommodate growing demand for South African fruit exports during the peak shipping season while optimizing operational efficiency across its West African network.

In addition to providing greater transport capacity for agricultural commodities, the combination of the mainline WAF7 service and the dedicated NWAP feeder service will allow the carrier to maintain stable connectivity across key markets in the region.

The move reflects Maersk's ongoing efforts to align its service network with seasonal trade flows while ensuring efficient vessel deployment and reliable supply chain connectivity throughout West and Southern Africa.

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Container News)

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