The Hindu Business Line : Direct container service to East Asia resumes at TPT

Due to the efforts taken by the port, the direct main container services to the US were resumed during the last month. The round-the-world service was also upgraded during the first week of June with the call of the longest vessel ever at Tuticorin Port.

Omega Shipping Agencies Pvt Ltd has resumed the service to East Asian countries with the call of mv. WANHAI last Wednesday. The vessel completed uploading/loading of 394 TEUs. During its stay, the vessel registered a handling rate of 30 moves per hour against the international standard of 25 moves per hour.

The company has deployed six vessels in the service and the ships will call at Tuticorin Port regularly every Wednesday.

The vessel is operated in the following route:

Tuticorin, Port Klang, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Lianyungang, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Port Klang, Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas, Karachi, Tuticorin, taking 45 days to complete one circle.

The resumption of the direct mainline service to East Asian countries will benefit the exporters of cotton yarn from the southern districts of Tamil Nadu as the textile mills in Madurai, Dindigul, Coimbatore regions will have direct connectivity to Hong Kong. The service will also help direct shipment of copper slag, ilmenite sand and so on.

The volume of containers handled through Tuticorin Port is consistently increasing every year and record volume of 3.21 lakh TEUs was handled during 2005-06.