• Diversifying Chittagong’s transhipment hubs connectivity to Jebel Ali and Khalifa Port in the Gulf; and Nhava Sheva and Mundra in India.
  • Creating the opportune Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Gulf sea corridor; and game-changing in connecting cargoes for air transfers from Dubai to destinations in Europe and USA.

The CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land and air logistics solutions, today announced the launch of the new Bangladesh India Gulf Express (BIGEX) service. The service will debut as the first and fastest direct service that connects Bangladesh to Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi in the Gulf; as well as Nhava Sheva and Mundra in India.

BIGEX will commence sailing from the port of Chittagong on 5th April. Three 1,700-TEU vessels deployed on the service will ply between the westbound rotation of Chittagong - Colombo - Mangalore - Nhava Sheva – Mundra; and the eastbound leg to Jebel Ali - Khalifa Port.

Transforming Bangladesh’s sea lane to the Middle East and India West Coast

The introduction of BIGEX charts the Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Gulf corridor, transforming Bangladesh’s sea lane to the Gulf and India West Coast. Characterised by fast transit times, exports from Chittagong will reach Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi in just 14 and 15 days respectively. A more efficient and greener alternative to trucking, BIGEX will get Bangladesh shipments to Nhava Sheva and Mundra in 8 and 10 days respectively.

Diversifying Bangladesh’s transhipment connectivity

BIGEX is also set to diversify Chittagong’s connectivity to transhipment hubs beyond the key Asian ports to the Gulf and India West Coast ports. This expands the routes to markets and further reduces transit time, such as that for US-bound Bangladesh cargoes that will be relayed via Colombo.

Xavier Eiglier, Senior Vice President CMA CGM Middle East Gulf, Indian-Sub-Continent, Indian Ocean Islands, and Southern & East Africa, said: “Historically, sea trade between the Indian subcontinent and Gulf countries has been instrumental in the development of what would later become one of the world’s most dynamic regions. The recently signed India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and ongoing free trade pact discussions between India and the GCC will strengthen economic ties between these regions. With the launch of the BIGEX service, the CMA CGM Group supports its customers to seize promising two-way trade market opportunities.”

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About CMA CGM

Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, serves more than 420 ports around the world across 5 continents, with a fleet of 593 vessels. The Group transported 21.7 million TEU containers (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2022. With its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, a global logistics player which transported 522,000 tonnes of air cargo and more than 22 million shipments of inland freight, and its air cargo division CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the CMA CGM Group is constantly innovating to provide customers a comprehensive and increasingly efficient offering, thanks to new shipping, inland, air freight and logistics solutions. Firmly committed to the energy transition in shipping and a pioneer in its use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a Net Zero-Carbon target for 2050. Each year, via the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group supports thousands of children as part of its efforts to promote education for all and equal opportunities. The CMA CGM Foundation also intervenes in humanitarian crises requiring an emergency response by calling on the Group’s shipping and logistics expertise to deliver humanitarian supplies around the world. Present in 160 countries through its network of more than 400 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs 155,000 people worldwide, including nearly 4,000 in Marseille where its head office is located.

Contact: media@cma-cgm.com