The Hindu Business Line : Hyper Galex service to connect major ports in China, India, W. Asia

Emirates Shipping Line have announced the commencement of the "Hyper Galex Service" a leading scheduled service connecting major ports and trading centres in China, India and West Asia. The first port of call in India is Kochi on the west bound leg followed by Nhava Sheva on the East bound leg.

The arrival of the vessel - m.v. Emirates Wasl - to Kochi for loading to West Asia destinations, would mark a new dawn in the history of the Kochi port, which is at the threshold of major development and expansion.

Sources at the port said that exporters and importers in the hinterland areas of Kochi such as Coimbatore, Pollachi, Tirupur, Erode, Karur, Dindigul, Namakkal and Bangalore as well as those from Kerala stand to gain on time and money with the arrival of mainline vessel.

In view of the increasing container traffic in the country, the port foresees tremendous opportunities in attracting mainline vessels to call at Kochi, the sources added.

The Hyper Galex Service utilises fast vessels average 3,000 TEUs carrying capacity on a fixed day service. Emirates Shipping Line is deploying its own vessels.

Port route

Port rotation for the service is - Xingang - Quigdoa - Shanghai - Ningbo - Hong Kong - Singapore - Port Klang - Colombo - Kochi - Nhava Sheva - Jebel Ali - Dammam - Abu Dhabi - Jebel Ali - Kochi - Colombo - Singapore - Hong Kong - Xingang.

Volkart Fleming Shipping & Services Ltd, Kochi, represents Emirates at Kochi.

The Kochi port had achieved the status of deep draft port in February enabling bigger vessels with direct connectivity to different continents to add Kochi to their regular schedule. Moreover, the port had also announced 50 per cent concessions on vessel related charges for mainline vessels of capacity of 2,500 TEUs or more.

This concession was aimed at achieving direct connectivity to ports in Europe, the US and the Far East.