New feeder service connects Vizhinjam Port with Kolkata

KOLKATA: Kolkata Dock System (KDS) under Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), has taken a groundbreaking initiative to strengthen India’s maritime logistics by launching a new feeder service connecting Vizhinjam, a newly developed transshipment port in Kerala.

An issued statement read, in collaboration with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), SMPK has introduced the ‘Kolkata Shuttle’ service, enabling the transshipment of EXIM containers on Indian soil. The first vessel under this service, ‘MV Oel Colombo’, berthed at 2 Netaji Subhas Dock (NSD), carrying a total import of 283 TEUs from Colombo. The vessel is scheduled to export 152 TEUs to Vizhinjam and 261 TEUs to Colombo before sailing out on February 1, 2025. This strategic initiative aims to minimize India’s dependence on foreign transshipment ports, curtail the outflow of foreign exchange, and boost trade efficiency.

Rathendra Raman, chairman, SMPK, said: “The successful launch of the ‘Kolkata Shuttle’ service marks a transformative shift in India’s maritime logistics. By enabling transshipment on our own soil, we are not only reducing dependency on foreign ports but also reinforcing the country’s economic resilience…”