Pacific International Lines launches IMX service for India-East Africa trade

Pacific International Lines (PIL) is reinforcing its presence in Africa with the launch of its Imara Express (IMX) service, a dedicated weekly connection between India and East Africa. Complementing PIL's existing Asia–Africa network, IMX expands connectivity and provides customers with greater access to key growth markets across the region.

The new service connects major production hubs and consumer markets across India and East Africa, responding to growing trade demand between the two regions. Offering direct weekly sailings, competitive transit times and reliable schedules, IMX helps customers capture new trade opportunities, move cargo more efficiently while enhancing supply chain resilience.

Named after the Swahili word "Imara", which means strong, dependable, and resilient, the service reflects PIL's commitment to putting customers first by providing reliable and efficient shipping solutions for their evolving logistics needs.

The first sailing of the IMX service will commence from Nhava Sheva on 23 September 2026.

Mr William Ho, General Manager, Long-Haul Services, PIL, said, "PIL has been serving the Asia–Africa trade for decades, building deep market expertise, strong partnerships and a trusted network across the continent. The launch of Imara Express extends our existing Asia–Africa network and supports the growing trade flows between India and East Africa. Together with our existing services, IMX provides customers with a more comprehensive network package, expanding market access with greater flexibility, and more options to optimise their supply chain needs in an increasingly dynamic trading environment."

The ports of call for the Imara Express are:

Nhava Sheva – Mundra – Dar Es Salam – Mombasa – Nhava Sheva