Arkas Line has announced a significant expansion of its global shipping network with the launch of a new service to India, the "India Med Service (IMS)." This move aligns with the company's 2025 growth strategy, which focuses on broadening its service network and entering new markets, according to the company's release.
The IMS commenced operations on February 10, 2025, initially utilizing four vessels with capacities between 2,500 and 2,800 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). The service will operate weekly, with the fleet increasing to five vessels by June 2025. The IMS route will connect ports in Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, India, and Egypt. Arkas Line will also utilize rail connections from Mundra and Nhava Sheva to facilitate inland cargo transport within India.
"As Arkas Line, our efforts to expand into new geographies and increase the variety of services we offer our customers will continue in 2025," said Can Atalay, CEO of Arkas Line. "In line with our growth plans, we are restructuring our services for greater efficiency, entering new markets, and continuing our investments in fleet renewal to provide solutions that meet our customers’ needs."
Concurrent with the IMS launch, Arkas Line is restructuring its Mediterranean services. The existing GPS, EMS, and SEM services will be merged into a new, more comprehensive "Blue Med Service (BMS)." The BMS will be operated entirely by Arkas Line vessels and will serve ports in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain, and Morocco.
With the addition of the India service, Arkas Line will operate in 27 countries, offering 33 services across 72 ports.
"Since June 2024, we have been operating our Red Sea service with two vessels, each with a capacity of 1,600 TEU. Now, by extending this service to India, we are opening up to new geographies," added Atalay.
Arkas Line is a Turkish shipping company operating a container fleet across the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Europe, Africa, and India, ranking among the world's top container shipowners.