CMA CGM Group, in partnership with Infinity Logistics and Transport Ventures (Infinity), flagged off a weekly Penang-Padang Besar block train service and officially opened a container depot at Penang Port.
With the launch of the service, CMA CGM provides a multimodal rail and sea transportation solution to exporters from the southern provinces of Thailand who send their cargo through the Port of Penang.
Each week, up to 100 rail containers are available for CMA CGM shippers. The loaded containers are picked up from Padang Besar, a Malaysian town on the border with Thailand’s Songkhla province.
They will then depart for Penang Port to be loaded onto the CMS2 and KCM2 services provided by CNC, CMA CGM Group’s Intra-Asia specialist. From Penang, the two weekly sailings will head to Malaysia’s top export destinations in Asia.
“The CMA CGM Group is delighted to have partnered Infinity in launching a compelling block train service and opening a depot here with strong support from the Penang Port,” said Ravindra Sahu, CEO of CMA CGM Malaysia.
“They are important milestones that enable us to streamline our customers’ logistics needs as we seamlessly relay their cargo from point to point. At CMA CGM, we are continuously identifying BETTER WAYS to enrich and enhance our value proposition to our customers, partners and key stakeholders,” he added.
The block train service will make its weekly stop at Penang Harbour, next to the newly opened wharf, which occupies over 14,000 square meters.
Co-managed by CMA CGM and Infinity, the warehouse features better connectivity combined with different container handling capabilities, according to a statement.
With a monthly capacity of 7,500 TEU, the facility provides storage, repair, cleaning, washing, handling and pre-trip inspections.
It also specialises in handling Container Grade Selection – a container solution for special goods – as well as Flexitank containers for non-hazardous liquid shipments such as the cooking oil that Penang exports.
It should be noted that this new facility in Penang is CMA CGM’s third depot in Malaysia.
“Being a multipurpose port, Penang Port Sdn Bhd certainly has multiple advantages that can support the vision of CMA CGM Group and Infinity’s block train service and container depot. After the launching, the container depots in Penang Port will be one of the busiest places to come across,” commented Dato’ Sasedharan Vasudevan, chief executive officer of Penang Port Sdn Bhd.
“The design of our layout and area provides sufficient space for storage and it also promotes high-level security which will be crucial for both CMA CGM and Infinity. That is not all, as part of Penang Port’s masterplan, our current phase of expansion within the NBCT put emphasis on land reclamation, among those are focused on expanding our logistics warehousing efforts,” he continued.
“Moreover, plans for the new gates will allow for our future volume growth – coupled with our berth expansion that allows us to cater about 2.2 million TEUs in our container yard in the coming years. This will surely provide a significant space to support CMA CGM Group and Infinity’s block train service and container depot, as well as all of our key partners within the terminal,” he concluded.
