Visakhapatnam: In a boost to coastal shipping, a leading Mumbai-based shipping and logistics provider, Shreyas Shipping and Logistics launched a weekly seamless connectivity between west and east coast on Thursday.
The new cargo vessel christened MV SSL Visakhapatnam was flagged off by Vizag MP K. Haribabu at Visakhapatnam Container Terminal (VCTPl). Addition of MV SSL Visakhapatnam will enable weekly service facilitating movement of Exim and domestic cargo to all the main container ports and terminals in India as well as the Middle East.
Two feeder vessels to connect Visakhapatnam terminal with other North Eastern ports like Kolkata, Haldia, Kakinada and Paradip where the transhipment of containers are carried out have also been deployed. This vessel connects Jabel Ali port of Dubai carrying capacity of 1,613 containers. Presently, the vessel had exchanged 1,001 container at Visakha Container Terminal and left for Middle East on Thursday.
Vizag MP K. Haribabu thanked the company for naming the vessel Visakhapatnam and observed that there is a need to tap the huge cargo potential of the surrounding areas of Visakhapatnam.
“Visakhapatnam surroundings are rich in agri products and minerals which have huge export potential apart from industrial requirements," he said. Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu had said that Visakhapatnam Port is going to play a pivotal role because of its geographic location on the East Coast, especially the container traffic, that has grown about 16-17 per cent in 2015-16 and hoped that this would increase further because the container trade is eco-friendly activity.
He also said that container business will see enormous growth once VPT commissions the upcoming Logistics Park in 400 acres near Anakapalli. VCTPL COO, Sushil Mulchandani said that the trade is receiving excellent support from the Port and Customs authorities which would help accelerate the growth of the export import business of the region.
“This new addition to our fleet has been named as MV SSL Visakhapatnam as we dedicate this vessel to the port city of Visakhapatnam. We are associated with Port of Visakhapatnam over a period now and are committed to the trade at large,” said Capt. V.K. Singh CEO Shreyas Shipping & Logistics Limited.
To date, Shreyas owns a fleet of nine vessels with a total teus capacity of over 13500 teus. The combined dead weight of all its vessels sum up to 192771 and a GRT of 154859. Shreyas who are pioneers and leaders in Coastal Shipping strengthen their position by deploying this vessel to provide a weekly rotation. The service now has four vessels plying on rotation from Mundra Tuticorin Katupalli- Vizag- Chennai, Tuticorin-Cochin Jebel Ali Mundra.
