Continental Warehousing Corporate (Nhava Seva) Ltd, the flagship company of the NDR Group, on Friday, unveiled an inland container depot (ICD) at Sachana in Viramgam, Ahmedabad. It will have a monthly capacity of handling up to 7,500 TEU of export-import cargo.

The company has formalised a tie-up with Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor) for access to the latter’s network of 70 container terminals through a hub-and-spoke arrangement.

The move is in line with the company’s long-term objective of shifting all road cargo to rail, according to a press release here.

“The new ICD at Sachana will be a boon to customers as the wait-time will be significantly reduced. This ICD is packed with locational advantages and will serve the hinterland well. This is a fillip to infrastructure in Gujarat,” said Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha.

As of now, there are around 22 ICDs in Gujarat, including three in Ahmedabad located at Sachana, Sanand and Khodiyar.

The new ICD at Sachana follows the inauguration of an all-weather private freight terminal in January 2016. The dry port is well-equipped to store container cargo and operate efficiently on a hub-and-spoke model.

Unlike Sanand, no toll tax is levied in Sachana, thus increasing its business viability for operators.

“Exim cargo should move mainly by rail and not by road. This brings down logistics cost and translates into an advantage for indigenous manufacturers. Weare investing in the right infrastructure,” said N. Adikesavulu Reddy, CMD of the company.

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