New shipping route will use Port Klang for transshipment, connecting Japanese gateways with key markets across South Asia and the wider region
CULines is set to launch a new Japan–Straits–Malaysia (JSM) service from September 5, strengthening shipping links between Japan and major markets in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and the Red Sea.
The service will be operated through a slot-exchange arrangement with Ocean Network Express (ONE), as CULines expands its intra-Asia network and seeks to provide more efficient options for cargo moving westwards from Japan. CULines announced the new service on August 18.
The JSM rotation will cover Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, Keelung, Hong Kong, West Port Klang, Singapore and Tokyo. This will connect four major Japanese ports with important shipping hubs in East and Southeast Asia.
A key element of the service will be transshipment through West Port at Port Klang in Malaysia. From there, cargo originating in Japan will be connected to destinations including Nhava Sheva and Mundra in India, Karachi in Pakistan, and Khor Fakkan, Sohar, Jebel Ali and Sharjah in the Middle East.
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The network will also provide connections to Red Sea and surrounding markets, including Jeddah, Sokhna, Aqaba, Sudan, Aden and Djibouti
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CULines said the arrangement is intended to offer greater flexibility and more efficient transit options as regional trade patterns develop
The first sailing is scheduled on the vessel Navios Chrysalis, with its maiden voyage from Tokyo planned for September 5-6, according to CULines’ Japan operations.
CULines has also established a local branch in Japan and created a dedicated Cargo Flow Team to monitor vessel connections and cargo movements during transshipment. The company said the measures are aimed at improving operational reliability and customer support.
The launch adds to CULines’ expanding network serving India and other Asian markets, with the company having introduced several regional services in 2026.
