A consortium of six container lines has launched a new service from the Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals (BMCT) in Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to the Far East in a move that signals renewed confidence in the volume recovery of India’s export-import (EXIM) trade in the wake of the pandemic.

Wan Hai Lines, Interasia Lines, Sinokor Merchant Marine Co Ltd, Heung A Line Co Ltd and Feedertech Pte Ltd, will deploy six ships on the service, each with a capacity to carry 4,250 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a spokesperson for PSA International Pte Ltd, which runs BMCT, said.

The service will connect BMCT to key Far East markets with calls at Port Klang North Port - Shekou - Dalian - Shanghai - Ningbo - Hong Kong - Shekou - Singapore - Port Klang West Port.

Also read: Exim trade in Kochi seek more mainline ship service

MV Singapore Bridge, the first vessel deployed on the service, called at BMCT on December 12.

“Launching a new service signals continuing confidence in India’s EXIM volume recovery,” said Sivakumar Kaliannan, Managing Director, PSA Mumbai.

“Our throughput for the months of September, October and November 2020 have surpassed the same period last year. With more new services coming to BMCT in Q1 2021 and more new products to be rolled out, we are looking to continue increasing our role in facilitating India’s maritime trade in 2021,” Sivakumar added.

“The Sinokor Group (Sinokor Merchant Marine and Heung-A) has been planning new services into India since 2019. Due to the pandemic, the launches were delayed. The new service will serve customers in India, Malaysia and China, along with all the Intra-Asia regions, connected from the respective transshipment ports. With a short transit time ex-China to India and vice versa, we have taken into consideration the Indian customers’ needs and requirements,” MK Ko, Owners Representative for Sinokor Merchant Marine said.

Also read: Exim Bank, SIDBI to set up investment fund to provide loan support to SMEs

BMCT is one of the five container terminals and the biggest at JNPT, with a capacity to handle 2.4 million TEUs a year from a quay length of 1,000 metres or 1 km with the deepest berths capable of handling super post-panamax vessels.

PSA International is fully-owned by Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore.

BMCT is well-connected by major highways and rail networks to key markets in Maharashtra, Gujarat and the National Capital Region. It serves the important industrial and manufacturing centres and cities in Northwest India.