Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port and PIL Launch China Calcutta Service to Enhance Trade Connectivity

The CCS will deploy three dedicated vessels – Kota Ria, Kota Rukun, and Kota Rakiyat – each with an average parcel load of 622 TEUs, designed to navigate lower draft conditions.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMP Kolkata), in partnership with Pacific International Lines (PIL), has inaugurated the China Calcutta Service (CCS) at the Kolkata Dock System (KDS). This new direct weekly service from China to Kolkata aims to meet the growing demand for reduced transit times from Far East Ports to Kolkata, thereby enhancing connectivity and efficiency for stakeholders.

The CCS will deploy three dedicated vessels – Kota Ria, Kota Rukun, and Kota Rakiyat – each with an average parcel load of 622 TEUs, designed to navigate lower draft conditions. The service promises a transit period of just 10 to 12 days, significantly improving logistical efficiency for customers in India and Nepal. The port rotation for the route includes XIAMEN – SHEKOU – SINGAPORE – KOLKATA – SINGAPORE – XIAMEN, providing robust connectivity and fostering trade growth in the region.

Today, the inaugural vessel of this service route, M/V Kota Rakiyat, was welcomed by Deputy Chairman of SMPK, Shri Samrat Rahi, at the Kolkata Dock System. Traffic Manager Shri R. S. Rajhans and other senior officers of KDS were also present. The maiden voyage will be followed by Kota Rukun on July 25, 2024. This weekly service is expected to boost shipping efficiency for the burgeoning EXIM trade across West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, the Northeast states of India, as well as Nepal and Bhutan.

Congratulating the KDS team behind the achievement, the Chairperson of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, Shri Rathendra Raman, announced a concession scheme to stimulate vessel calls and container operations, effective for FY 24-25. Shri Raman further stated, "With the introduction of the CCS, it is anticipated that the volume of container traffic handled at KDS will witness a substantial increase, driving a higher growth rate."