Senator Lines started new service between South China and Middle East. With its South China Middle East Express (SMX), the German container line will strengthen its presence in the Middle East, expanding its network to include the direct port of Bandar Abbas.

 A total of four 2,000 TEU container ships, in collaboration with Cosco, K-Line and Hanjin (all, like Senator Lines, members of CKHYS, the alliance partnership founded in 2001), will link the industrial centres of South China, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, with weekly departures in the following rotation: 
 Kaohsiung - Hong Kong - Yantian - Singapore - Dubai, Port Rashid - Bandar Abbas - Singapore - Kaohsiung.
 With the "Cosco Karachi", flying the German flag, Senator Lines started its participation in the service mid of November. With a transit time of just 11 days, SMX provides one of the fastest services currently on this route.