More vessels call on Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal, volume up 16 per cent

Kochi: Dubai Port World, operators of the Vallarpadam international container transshipment terminal, has claimed that export-import traffic from Kochi through the terminal has seen a steep rise in the last three months.

The terminal handled 51 vessels in August, 52 in September and 58 vessels in October, marking a 16 per cent increase in volume year-on-year. The throughput has recorded a month-on-month growth for the last seven months, the company said in a release here.

The terminal also improved its container handling efficiency with an average move of 30 gross crane rate per hour, it said.

There are three main services per week connecting Kochi to far east Asia, one to Australia and four to the Middle East. While there are two direct services to Europe, connectivity to US East coast is ensured through hubs in Damietta and Haifa.

ICTT recently launched a new service ‘Great Sea Vembanad’ which seeks to connect Mangalore to direct sailings from Kochi to Europe, the Middle East and the Mediterranean ports. Vallarpadam is also well connected to Colombo with 3 feeders every week.

“With more vessels calling, Kochi’s connectivity is by far one of the best in South India,” it said. ‘It is all about constantly re-engineering our processes inside the terminal, and working with the logistics chain outside the terminal gates to give our customers quicker vessel turnaround times,” DP World Subcontinent managing director Capt. Anil Singh, said.

DP World Cochin chief executive officer Jibu Kurien Itty said the number of vessels calling in at ICTT has increased by 11 per cent this year.