Shipping lines have started using Vallarpadam Terminal as a transhipment hub for Nava Sheva empty containers.
A senior official in the port said that the lines regularly reposition empty containers to balance their inventory at different locations across the globe. This is a common phenomenon in the shipping trade, as lines face difficulties in repositioning empty units from congested terminals.
According to the official, more shipping lines are exploring the opportunity to use Vallarpadam ICTT as the transhipment hub. The terminal started this service for the first time among major ports in the country and this would expect to fetch additional revenue, throughput and opportunity for mainline vessels to call at Kochi.
ICTT has now started doing massive empty transhipment out of Kochi. This is the first time when a major mainline operator is utilising the terminal’s transhipment potential to reposition its empty units back to China, he said.
Wan Hai Line, one of the big shipping lines based out of Taiwan repositioned 1273 teus of empty units from Nhava Sheva to China by using ICTT as the transhipment hub. The line will connect all the empty units arriving at ICTT to one of its mainline vessel – Wan Hai 507, which is part of INDFEX service and one of the key services connecting Indian sub continent to China.