Arkas Line is expanding its global service network and entering new markets as part of its ambitious 2025 growth strategy.
Following the addition of routes to the Americas and the Red Sea, the company is further enhancing its international reach by extending its service to India.
Ranked 32nd on the World Shipowners List, Arkas Line has successfully established operations in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Europe, Africa, and the East Coast of the Americas. Building on this success and its recent expansion in the Red Sea region, the company is now adding India to its growing network. This strategic move aims to open access to new markets while delivering a service structure better aligned with customer needs.
The newly introduced India Med Service (IMS) is effective from 10 February with four vessels, each boasting a capacity of 2,500–2,800 TEUs. By June 2025, the service will expand to five vessels, operating weekly.
The India Med Service (IMS) route will connect the following ports:
Ambarli (Turkey), Evyap (Turkey), Aliaga (Turkey), Mersin (Turkey), Aqaba (Jordan), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Nhava Sheva (India), Mundra (India), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Aqaba (Jordan), Alexandria (Egypt), Ambarli (Turkey)
Additionally, with rail links from the ports of Mundra and Nhava Sheva, Arkas Line will provide customers with cargo transportation to key inland trade centres across India.
To further optimize its service network, Arkas Line is also restructuring its Mediterranean operations. The existing GPS (Great Pendulum Service), EMS (East Med Morocco Service), and SEM (Spain-East Med) services will be merged into a new Blue Med Service (BMS) line. This restructuring aims to enhance efficiency and provide a more comprehensive service offering across the Mediterranean.
The Blue Med Service (BMS) will be solely operated by Arkas Line’s vessels, strengthening the company’s position in the region. The revised Mediterranean route will include the following ports:
Alexandria (Egypt), Beirut (Lebanon), Lattakia (Syria), Mersin (Turkey), Aliaga (Turkey), Genoa (Italy), La Spezia (Italy), Tangier (Morocco), Casablanca (Morocco), Valencia (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), Fos-sur-Mer (France), Genoa (Italy), La Spezia (Italy), Salerno (Italy), Alexandria (Egypt)
With the launch of the India Med Service (IMS) and the Blue Med Service (BMS), Arkas Line will extend its operations to 27 countries, offering 33 services across 72 ports worldwide.
Can Atalay, Arkas Line CEO, stated: “As Arkas Line, our efforts to expand into new geographies and increase the variety of services we offer our customers will continue in 2025. 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.”
Atalay added: “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. Additionally, we are increasing the service capacity by deploying five vessels, each with a 2,800 TEU capacity, and launching the new direct service ‘India Med Service (IMS)’; from India to the Mediterranean.”