PSA’s Mumbai terminal boosts Europe connectivity with new direct service

A consortium of three global container shipping lines led by CMA-CGM SA started a new direct service to Europe from the Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals (BMCT) in Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).

This is the second direct service linking PSA International-run Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals (BMCT) in JNPT.

The berthing of CMA CGM’s ‘APL New York’ on 20 January, marked the launch of the service. The 9,336 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) capacity vessel is one of the four deployed by French box line CMA CGM on the service.

Partners COSCO Shipping Lines and OOCL are contributing two vessels and one vessel each on the service, a BMCT statement said.

Connectivity

The new service connects PSA Mumbai to key Europe markets with halts at Tangier, Southampton, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Antwerp, LeHavre and Algeciras.

Sivakumar Kaliannan, Managing Director PSA Mumbai, said, “With growing volumes and services, PSA Mumbai is strengthening its service offerings with the launch of the new direct service to Europe”.

Also read: India terminals of PSA Int’l handle record container volumes in December

“BMCT also boosted domestic repositioning of containers by rail in January 2021, with over 1,600 TEUs handled so far. This includes empty container repositioning between hinterlands and nearby container depots via rail yard, and off-dock less than container load (LCL) consolidation for laden containers currently moved by rail to North Indian destinations”, he added.

BMCT is one of the five container terminals and the biggest at state-owned JNPT, with a capacity to handle 2.4 million TEUs a year from a quay length of 1,000 metres or 1 km with the deepest berths capable of handling super post-panamax vessels.

PSA International is fully-owned by Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore.

BMCT is well-connected by major highways and rail networks to key markets in Maharashtra, Gujarat and the National Capital Region. It serves the important industrial and manufacturing centres and cities in North-west India.