In what comes as a significant achievement for the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) the city port and Port Klang and Yangon to would now be linked by direct weekly service with a first of its kind ‘weekly express service.’ Through this service, the far-east ports including China and Japan would be connected to SMP, Kolkata via Port Kelang. The collaborative project has been announced by SITC, a leading Intra Asia operator, according to the city port office.

As informed by the SMP office, the first vessel SITC Nagoya berthed at Haldia International Container Terminal, HDC today sailing directly from Shanghai, China. The second vessel in the Loop Service SITC Tianjin will call at Haldia Dock Complex around 12 June. According to the city port office, it is for the first time in the history of SMP, Kolata operations that a weekly regular direct service from Yangon / Port Klang will call to Haldia Container Terminal operated by J M Baxi Ports and Logistics. After this, the port rotation of this weekly service would be Port Klang-Haldia Dock Complex-Yangon Port-Port Kelang/Shanghai.

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With the initiative, the SMP hopes that with addition of more vessels in this service in the coming weeks the shipping circuit connecting SMP, Kolkata to Myanmar and Port Kelang with the direct service till Shanghai would be strengthened. The service is expected to benefit the shippers in West Bengal and other fast developing states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and the entire North East as the region will benefit with the faster, cheaper transit time and direct connectivity for their exports and imports. This service will also help connect cargoes to Nepal and Bhutan and emerging NE States. “The vessel service is aimed to enhance and provide efficient shipping and cost effective shipping to the fast-growing EXIM Trade in this region,” said the chairman of SMP, Rathendra Raman.