Turkish container carriers Turkon Line and Arkas Line initiated a vessel-sharing agreement at Nhava Sheva port, introducing services branded TRI (Turkey-Red Sea-India) and IMS (India-Med Service) to handle India-Mediterranean cargo volumes.
The service, offering relay options for Indian cargo to Europe and the US east coast alongside port coverage in Turkey, follows a rotation of Ambarli-Evyap-Aliaga-Mersin-Aqaba-Jeddah-Nhava Sheva-Mundra-Jeddah-Aqaba-Alexandria-Ambarli, providing a faster shipping option compared to routes via the Cape of Good Hope.
Industry sources in Nhava Sheva noted that the inaugural voyage filled capacity due to "aggressive commercial strategies" with tactical pricing in an oversupplied market.
Each carrier has deployed two vessels, with plans to expand to a five-ship string by June to enable a weekly rotation, and the next Nhava Sheva sailing is scheduled for 18 March, per port updates.
Turkon aims for a 50% capacity increase, adding two 4,000 teu newbuilds of different fuel types to its fleet, while Izmir-based Arkas operates 25 containerships across 33 services and 72 ports.
Headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, Turkon Line operates a fleet of 20 vessels and provides container transport services across 50 ports worldwide, focusing on routes between Turkey, Europe, and the US.
Based in Izmir, Turkey, Arkas Line, a part of Arkas Holding, manages 25 containerships and offers 33 services across 72 ports, with a strong presence in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.