The Hindu Business Line : Tata Motors looks to Gujarat port for bus exports

A BATCH of 61 buses from the Tata Motors stable in Pune is expected to drive into the Gujarat port of Mundra to meet a shipment deadline on March 31. The vehicles are to be shipped out by m.v. Jolly Oro, a combi-vessel that doubles up as a container carrier and a ro-ro carrier, to the African shores.

According to officials in the Mundra International Container Terminal, operated by P&O Ports, the consignment of Tata Motors is expected to swell to 350 vehicles a month beginning April. This will include buses and LCVs from the automobile major that has been forced to look beyond ports in Mumbai - NSICT and JNPT.

It may be recalled that the Mumbai port had recently started handling vehicles, prompted by congestion at two of its neighbouring terminals.

However, this is the first time that an automobile manufacturer, with its manufacturing base located as far away as Pune, is looking north of Mumbai to ship out its consignments. Tatas had recently come out with their branded buses — Starbus and Globus — that are said to have good export potential.

"The 61 buses are to be handled by the same line - Messina of Italy - that carried the first batch of 11 LCVs that were shipped out Mundra on March 5. The vessel also has to handle 1,000 containers and the targeted turnaround time is 24 hours", the official said.

The first consignment from Tata Motors had arrived at the Mundra port on March 3 and the Customs department had completed the requisite inspection inside the terminal on March 4.

When the consignment was loaded aboard m.v. Jolly Argentoon on March 5, it was also a declaration to the world that the port was ready to handle automobile cargo.

MICT is looking at other automobile manufacturers as well to use its facilities for shipping out vehicles. The March 5 consignment of Tata LCVs has triggered interest of other auto exporters.

A container load of two-wheelers from Honda Scooters has already been exported from Mundra.

Now, MICT is hoping to shift gears into big time by getting an order for shipping out passenger cars. And vying with cars from the Tata Motors' Pune facility could well be those from the Gurgaon facility of Maruti Udyog that could save on precious time and freight cost.

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