A direct feeder service between Dubai and India's east coast launched two months ago is being expanded due to demand to serve Tuticorin and Cochin on India's west coast.
Singapore headquartered Far Shipping Lines (FSL) has been operating two vessels with a 1,023 twenty foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity between the ports of Jebel Ali, Colombo, Haldia, Vizag and Chennai every 12 days.
The service has now been upgraded to a weekly fixed-day sailing to the Indian east coast ports of Chennai, Calcutta, Haldia and Vizag via Colombo, said a company spokes-man.
Dubai-based Vasco Global Maritime, part of Singapore headquartered Vasco Maritime, is the sole agent for the service in Dubai.
"Our service is the first of its kind in which the cargo is being carried by the same vessel directly from and to Jebel Ali to the Indian east coast ports. This has been a neglected coast and nobody has taken the risk of putting one ship on such a long route before," said the spokesman.
Earlier cargo to and from Kolkata and other Indian east coast ports to Dubai was transshipped via Colombo, he said.
The two vessels being deployed on this route have a service speed of 16.5 knots.
FSL, which is part of the Far Glory Holding group based in Dalian, China, operates a fleet of seven vessels on the Indian east coast.
Gulf News
