Maersk India and the Indian intermodal operator GatewayRail have jointly launched the first ‘Automotive Express’, which runs from the Garhi Harsaru Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Gurugram to APM Terminals Pipavav Port for exports and return with import cargo.
This new rail service, whose first run was virtually flagged off on 18 April, will have the capacity to move 180TEU each way and will support more than 25 customers from one of the most important automotive manufacturing belts of India.
[s2If is_user_logged_in()]The customers booking their cargo on ‘Automotive Express’ will also have priority discharge from the port for higher reliability and to keep their supply chains on schedule, according to an announcement.
Maersk noted that the new product is a response to the needs of the automotive sector in the region, as for years several the manufacturers based in and around Gurugram, the northern part of India, have been dependent on staggered and unscheduled rail movement for their cargo going in and out of the country and delayed imports hamper production schedules while delayed exports pile up inventories for the manufacturers, according to the Danish carrier.
“Manufacturing is an extremely important building block of our country’s economy. As a service provider to this critical segment, our goal is to streamline their supply chains and offer highest levels of reliability” commented Vikash Agarwal, managing director, Maersk South Asia and added, “With the ‘Automotive Express’, we are not only simplifying our automotive customers’ supply chains by offering integrated logistics solution that bundles ocean and landside transportation, but we are also driving cost and time efficiencies through precisely scheduled movement of their cargo.”
The ‘Automotive Express’ will connect the cargo to Maersk’s ocean transportation services from APM Terminals Pipavav to North American as well as Far East and South East Asian markets on the MECL service for exports and FI3 and MECL services for imports.
With this new service, Maersk believes it is taking a step forward towards strengthening its landside transportation offering in the country.
Sachin Bhanushali, director & CEO of Gateway Rail Freight Ltd., said that the company is excited about the cooperation with Maersk and that GatewayRail has been a pioneer in innovative intermodal services such as the ‘Ship to Rail Service’ and now the ‘Automotive Express’.
Maersk runs two dedicated rail services for exports and four dedicated rail services for imports in collaboration with GatewayRail and has completed around 200 dedicated trips in past two years.
[/s2If]
[s2If !is_user_logged_in()]Please login or register to read the rest of the story[/s2If]
