NM Port attracts more main line vessels

A main line container vessel of Pacific International Lines (PIL), m. v. Kota Arif, called at New Mangalore Port on February 1 from the East African port of Mtwara, according to Exim News Service.

The vessel unloaded 176 TEUs of raw cashew for distribution among the local processing units and loaded 206 TEUs of export cargo like fish meal, fish oil, granite, etc. for the Far East. It sailed back to East Africa via Singapore and the Far East on February 2.

The transit period from East Africa to Mangalore is only 9 days, according to a release.

This is the 6th main line vessel to have called at the Port in the current financial year. Such vessels benefit exporters in the form of 50 per cent savings in freight charges compared to feeder vessels, on account of less freight and reduced transit time.

Seamaster Shipping Logistics Pvt. Ltd of the Seaways Group is the agent of the vessel and HML Agencies the C&F agent.

Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), expressed happiness over the increased number of main line vessels calling at New Mangalore Port, and disclosed that seeing the overwhelming response from exporters in utilising the advantages of moving their cargo at 50 per cent less freight, main line operators were now planning to bring vessels from West Africa on a regular basis, which will reduce the transit time to 21 days against 45 days taken by feeder vessels which arrive via Colombo.

(Source: Transport Weekly)