UAFL Launches New Base in Mumbai

By Simon West

United Africa Feeder Line has opened a new office in Mumbai, part of the shipping company’s strategy to strengthen trade links between India and East Africa.

The base was launched in January 2025 following the opening of the carrier’s new Zanzibar office four months earlier, in September 2024. UAFL, founded in 2000, specializes in shipping goods to and from the Indian Ocean region, with a focus on East and Southern Africa.

“If you look at most East African countries, you’ll find that India is among their top two to five import partners,” Mohamed Atallah, general manager at UAFL, told Breakbulk.

“The trade between India and those countries has been growing year-on-year – something that we’ve noticed as well from the volumes that we’ve been carrying. It therefore made perfect sense to open our own office and to have better control and improve how we serve our customers.”

Zanzibar, meanwhile, has long been a key market for UAFL, which previously serviced the country’s port with three vessels, Atallah said. But ongoing congestion has forced the company to scale back to one dedicated feeder vessel between Mombasa and Zanzibar, with plans to increase capacity once conditions improve.

Dubai-headquartered UAFL is set to continue its regional expansion with the opening of a new office in an East African country later this year, with further openings expected in 2026.

Fleet Investment

According to Atalla, UAFL has shifted from chartering to owning its fleet as part of a strategic investment drive initiated in 2021 under new ownership. The carrier now operates an entirely owned fleet of four single deck, multipurpose geared vessels deployed across the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

“As we have plans for growth, you might see more UAFL vessels sailing in new regions,” Attalla said.

UAFL is an exhibitor at Breakbulk Middle East.

TOP PHOTO: The 1,736-TEU capacity UAFL Liberty serves India, the Middle East and Africa. CREDIT: UAFL