THE shipping Corp of India (SCI) is considering launching a long-haul container service to the Far East, a senior executive revealed, reported New York's Journal of Commerce.
'We are now studying issues such as viability and also looking for like-minded partners for the proposed service,' said SCI director SS Rangnekar. 'If all goes well, the service should be launched by February.'
State-owned SCI, India's largest shipping company, currently has a feeder service from Mumbai's Port of Jawaharlal Nehru to Singapore. That service, run as part of an alliance with Hyundai Merchant Marine, deploys three ships - one each from SCI and Hyundai, and one ship on charter.
The long-haul service may start from Colombo or Singapore and call at major Far Eastern locations, which are yet to be identified. Japan and South Korea, two major trading partners of India, are potential destinations.
Mr Rangnekar said the current 700-TEU capacity on the feeder service will have to be expanded if the service is converted to long haul. SCI would do this by redeploying ships from other long-haul routes and through chartering, he said.
He said SCI is looking for three or four partners to operate the Far Eastern service. Hyundai Merchant Marine could be one of them.
Also under consideration is expansion of the capacity of the India-Europe service, which it operates in consortium with CMA-CGM, Yang Ming and Zim Israel Navigation Co.
SCI currently uses 1,860-TEU ships on that trade, and is considering deploying 3,000-TEU vessels.
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'We are now studying issues such as viability and also looking for like-minded partners for the proposed service,' said SCI director SS Rangnekar. 'If all goes well, the service should be launched by February.'
State-owned SCI, India's largest shipping company, currently has a feeder service from Mumbai's Port of Jawaharlal Nehru to Singapore. That service, run as part of an alliance with Hyundai Merchant Marine, deploys three ships - one each from SCI and Hyundai, and one ship on charter.
The long-haul service may start from Colombo or Singapore and call at major Far Eastern locations, which are yet to be identified. Japan and South Korea, two major trading partners of India, are potential destinations.
Mr Rangnekar said the current 700-TEU capacity on the feeder service will have to be expanded if the service is converted to long haul. SCI would do this by redeploying ships from other long-haul routes and through chartering, he said.
He said SCI is looking for three or four partners to operate the Far Eastern service. Hyundai Merchant Marine could be one of them.
Also under consideration is expansion of the capacity of the India-Europe service, which it operates in consortium with CMA-CGM, Yang Ming and Zim Israel Navigation Co.
SCI currently uses 1,860-TEU ships on that trade, and is considering deploying 3,000-TEU vessels.
SeaNews Turkey
