KPCL Adds New Maersk Salalah Service

Danish container shipping major Maersk Line has launched a direct, weekly service from India’s deep water Krishnapatnam Port to Salalah in Oman by inaugurating the maiden call of M/V Maersk Bentonville.

Featuring a gross tonnage of 4,504 t, the 53,201 dwt boxship was built in 2006.

The weekly service is to serve to exporters and importers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Northern Tamil Nadu to the ports of US East Coast, Mediterranean, Europe and Africa, according to Krishnapatnam Port.

“We along with Maersk are happy to inaugurate Salalah – Krishnapatnam Port service. The new service will substantially minimize the cost and transit time in these areas, which will be of a huge benefit to our customers. The service will further get a boost from CONCOR’s new rake service,” Anil Yendluri, Director & CEO, Krishnapatnam Port says.

In addition, Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has commenced rake service (twice rakes per week) from ICD Bangladore to Krishnapatnam Port Container Terminal (KPCT).

“The new rake service between ICD Bangalore and KPCT can be increased into a daily service as per the requirements of the trade,” Anup Dayanand Sadhu, CGM, CONCOR comments.

Krishnapatnam Port promoted by the Hyderabad-based C.V.R. Group is a privately built and owned all weather, deep water port on the east coast of India, located in the Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh.

Krishnapatnam Port with a current draft of 18.5 metres can accommodate full-sized cape vessel of 200,000-tonne capacity. The port has been leased to Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. (KPCL) for 50 years and is being built in three phases and currently the second phase is underway.