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There is a virtual scramble among global container lines to upgrade their services to participate in the burgeoning trade between China and India.
GAC, Dubai-based global provider of shipping, logistics and marine services, has launched GAC Console Service, a direct service to facilitate shipments of cargo from mainland China (Shanghai, Shenzhen and Ningbo) as well as Hong Kong and Singapore directly to Jawaharlal Nehru port on the country's west coast rather than being routed via Singapore as a transshipment port, according to shipping industry sources.
As a result, the shipment time of the China-India trade is cut to 15 days from 22-25 days via Singapore, the sources point out.
The service, being described as “a new direct import consolidation service for shipments from Far East to expand inter-regional trade through reduced transit times to enable particularly small and medium enterprises extend their global reach in the cost-efficient way”, the sources observe.
Port rotations
Safmarine, in partnership with Simatech, too has upgraded its existing Far-East Indian sub-continent connectivity (FMX) with the introduction of a new direct service linking the Far East with main ports in western India and Pakistan. The service is operated by Simatech with Safmarine having a slot chartering agreement with it. The port rotation is: Xingang-Qingdao-Shanghai-Ningbo-Hong Kong-Singapore-Tanjung Pelepas-Port Klang-Nhava Sheva-Karachi-Colombo.
The FMX service's direct calls in Xingang, Qingdao and Ningbo complement Safmarine's existing range of services from Asia toIndia such as Chennai Express (Busan-Shanghai-Xiamen-Chennai-Busan), Asia Gulf Services (Laem Chabang-Singapore-Tanjung Pelepas-Port Klang-Colombo-Jebel Ali-Karachi-Mumdra-Colombo-Port Klang-Singapore-Laem Chabang) and FM3 service (Kwangyang-Busan-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Da Chan Bay-Tanjung Pelepas-Pipavav-JN port-Port Qasim-Port Klang-Singapore-Hong Kong-Kwangyang).
Meanwhile, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) will join from April CMA CGM's India Pakistan Europe (EPIC) service by deploying one ship out of eight. The service is being marketed as India-Pakistan-Europe service. The port rotation will be: Jebel Ali-Port Qasim-Nhava Sheva-Mundra-Jeddah-Port Said-Malta-Tangiers-Southampton-Rotterdam-Hamburg-Antwerp-Le Havre-Port Said-Khor Fakkan-Jebel Ali, the sources add.
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