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Date: 27/09/2023

DP World Chennai hosts inaugural call of Far East India Express (FIX1) service

DP World, a leading global provider of smart end-to-end logistics, marked another milestone with the berthing of the maiden voyage of the Far East India Express (FIX1) service at its terminal in Chennai. The FIX1 service is a collaborative endeavour involving four consortium partners, with Sinotrans deploying two vessels, and TS Lines, SeaLead and SITC each contributing one vessel to the fleet, as per a DP World release.
 
FIX1 is the first-ever service to establish a direct shipping connection between Chennai and China, reducing transit time by 8 days, by bypassing traditional transhipment ports. The service’s rotation is strategically designed to optimise the supply chain efficiencies, covering ports Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Shekou in China, the Chennai and Vizag ports in India, and Port Klang in Malaysia (East Bound). Providing direct, swift and seamless connectivity, the service will provide greater logistical reliability to traders across the East Asia corridor. The service will be further complimented by DP World’s best-in-class logistics solutions and greater supply chain efficiency to boost trade in the region.
 
Commemorating the occasion, DP World Chennai berthed the Ren Jian 27 vessel carrying a load of 3,814 TEUs (2,350 moves) on September 11, 2023. The company also hosted a small felicitation ceremony at DP World Chennai premises, honouring the vessel and its Captain, Zhang Qin, in the presence of Shiva Mahadevan, Managing Director of SeaLead India, along with representatives from TS Lines, Sinotrans agent (Abrao Group) and SITC agent (J M Baxi Group).
 
Commenting on this new service, Mr Ravinder Johal, COO Ports & Terminals, DP World Subcontinent and MENA region, said, “The launch of the FIX1 service marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to reshape global trade connectivity. This pioneering initiative not only strengthens the ties between India and East Asia, but also underscores our commitment to enhancing supply chain efficiencies, reducing transit times, and supporting economic growth. Moreover, this service will set new benchmarks for reliability, speed and resilience for the Indian exporters exploring newer markets across the East Asia region and beyond”.
 
The FIX1 service will be the third weekly service sailing from DP World Chennai for the East region. The service’s key beneficiaries will be the large enterprises along with the SME and MSME clusters across the South and East Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. DP World’s vast multimodal network will allow these clusters to link with the port terminal via road and rail connectivity, the release added.
 
Source: Exim News Service: Chennai, Sept. 26