Cochin Port today entered a new era by handling direct mainline container vessels with the first such vessel 'M V Emirates Wasl' calling at the port.
The service was operated by Emirates Shipping Line connecting major ports and trading centres located in China, India and the Middle East, a release from Cochin Port Trust said here.
This service, with an average 3000 TEUs carrying capacity, will call at Cochin Port twice every week. More such services were expected to commence in December and January, it said.
With the commencement of regular mainline vessel services, the Exim trade of Kerala as well as those in the hinterland areas including Coimbatore, Pollachi, Tirupur, Erode, Karur, Dindigul, Namakkal and Bangalore etc will directly benefit.
This would help avoid multiple handling of boxes, saving considerable time and money for the Exim trade, the release said.
The Port had achieved the status of deep draft port in February last, enabling bigger vessels with direct connectivity to different continents to add the city to their regular schedule, the release said.
It had announced 50 per cent concession on vessel related charges for mainline vessels go Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) 25,000 and above having capacity of 2500 TEUs or more. The concession was aimed at attracting vessels that directly connect ports in Europe, the US and the Far East.
Port of rotation of the present service is-Xingang- Quigdoa-Changhai-Ningbo-Hong Kong-Singapore- Port Klang- Colombo-Cochin- Nhava Sheva- Jebel Ali- Dammam- Abu Dhabi- Jebel Ali- Cochin- Colombo- Singapore- Hongkong- Xingang.
The service was operated by Emirates Shipping Line connecting major ports and trading centres located in China, India and the Middle East, a release from Cochin Port Trust said here.
This service, with an average 3000 TEUs carrying capacity, will call at Cochin Port twice every week. More such services were expected to commence in December and January, it said.
With the commencement of regular mainline vessel services, the Exim trade of Kerala as well as those in the hinterland areas including Coimbatore, Pollachi, Tirupur, Erode, Karur, Dindigul, Namakkal and Bangalore etc will directly benefit.
This would help avoid multiple handling of boxes, saving considerable time and money for the Exim trade, the release said.
The Port had achieved the status of deep draft port in February last, enabling bigger vessels with direct connectivity to different continents to add the city to their regular schedule, the release said.
It had announced 50 per cent concession on vessel related charges for mainline vessels go Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) 25,000 and above having capacity of 2500 TEUs or more. The concession was aimed at attracting vessels that directly connect ports in Europe, the US and the Far East.
Port of rotation of the present service is-Xingang- Quigdoa-Changhai-Ningbo-Hong Kong-Singapore- Port Klang- Colombo-Cochin- Nhava Sheva- Jebel Ali- Dammam- Abu Dhabi- Jebel Ali- Cochin- Colombo- Singapore- Hongkong- Xingang.