The 4,051-TEU XIN NAN TONG, part of COSCO Shipping Lines, on COSCO’s CI1 service, had its maiden call at APM Terminals Mumbai (JN Port) on February 12, 2018, adding another important Far East service for India’s importers and exporters. Far East trade services comprise 62 per cent of the terminal’s throughput.
Deployed mainly to serve the Far East trade with India, the CI1 service will enhance India’s regional market by calling on key ports such as Pipavav, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Nansha, Singapore and Penang. The service consists of five COSCO vessels and one from Wan Hai.
APM Terminals Mumbai COO, Mr Ravi Gaitonde, welcomed the vessel, stating, “This new port call adds another choice for our customers shipping to and from the Far East. More choices create stronger supply chains and business growth; so we look forward to working closely with COSCO and Wan Hai to deliver operational excellence.”
COSCO, currently the world’s 4th largest shipping company, enlists a total capacity of 1.84 million TEUs. JN Port-Nhava Sheva, the busiest container port in north-west India, handled a record 4.7 million TEUs in 2017, with APM Terminals Mumbai accounting for 1.96 million TEUs, or 42 per cent of the port’s total container volume.
