NCS/NCX service vessel touches port

KOCHI: Offering faster connectivity to China and the Far East, the NCS/NCX service from the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), Vallarpadam, launched by a consortium of the Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL),  Mitsui O S K Lines (MOL) and Samudera, began on Sunday. NCS/NCX is a weekly mainline service from ICTT to China and the Far East, connecting major destinations like Singapore  Port Klang, Hong Kong, Shanghai and other Chinese ports. The first vessel of this service ‘MV Irenes Reliance’ reached Kochi on Sunday.“The weekly service offers faster transit to and from China and the Far East, key South Indian markets such as Bangalore, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Pollachi, Erode and Salem. The transit time from Kochi to China will be reduced by one week. The transit time will be reduced to 15 days compared about 24 days using a feeder vessel to Colombo,” said the terminal authorities.The ICTT authorities said that besides consignments to China, containers to the US west coast, Australia and South America would also be carried in this service. This facility offers  multiple connectivity from Singapore and Shanghai ensuring the fastest transit time from South India to these destinations,” they said. “This is a boon for traders in the region by saving them time and cost. We will strive to outpace our efficiencies to ensure continuous growth of service calls to ICTT and the overall growth of trade through Vallarpadam,” said K Krishnadas, ICTT CEO. DP World Subcontinent vice-president and managing director Anil Singh said that this is a testament to their skill and expertise and an encouragement to raise the bar higher. The direct mainline service to Europe from ICTT began last month.“Connectivity by rail to Bangalore and Coimbatore from and to ICTT, with a frequency of four to five trains per week and good coastal connectivity to ports like Tuticorin, Mangalore, Kandla and Mundra, would  facilitate exports and imports from various hinterland locations to use ICTT to connect their containers directly to and from various ports in China, Australia, US west coast, Far East and South America,” the terminal authorities added.