Hapag-Lloyd AG is expanding its Far East–Europe network with the launch of its new Asia South Europe 5 (SE5) service from November 2026, offering direct connections between Central and South China and key Western Mediterranean markets.
The new service is designed to provide competitive transit times to Spain and other nearby Western Mediterranean destinations, while extending onward connectivity to West Africa through Tangier Med in Morocco.
According to Hapag-Lloyd, the SE5 service will operate on a rotation connecting Shanghai and Xiamen in China, Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, Algeciras in Spain and Tangier Med in Morocco, with vessels transiting the Suez Canal.
The planned port rotation is Shanghai – Xiamen – Tanjung Pelepas – Suez Canal – Algeciras – Tangier Med – Algeciras – Suez Canal – Xiamen.
The inclusion of Algeciras and Tangier Med is expected to strengthen connections between Asian export hubs and major Mediterranean gateways, while facilitating onward cargo movements to West African markets.
The introduction of SE5 forms part of Hapag-Lloyd’s efforts to expand its service network and provide customers with additional shipping options across key global trade corridors.