* New direct service connecting Mundra to Dammam & Umm Qasr announced
* Oasis Shipping appointed as Pan-India General Agents
Hosting Bengal Tiger Line’s (BTL) year-end dinner on December 2, 2022 at Mumbai’s JW Marriott Juhu, visiting BTL Chief Executive, Mr Bill Smart (a veteran feeder operator since the 90s), thanked the local trade/customers for their support whilst announcing the appointment of Oasis Shipping Private Limited as their West Coast Agent from January 2023. Hitherto Oasis has represented BTL in East & Southern India.
Mr Smart expressed his pleasure to be back visiting India and meeting customers in-person after the challenging Covid period and, commenting on the recent market sentiment, he opined: “We are again back to the era that sensible capacity management will dictate individual trade’s stability. Fair weather management is over and it is up to operators to react accordingly.”
It was announced that Oasis Shipping Private Limited will represent BTL’s new forthcoming ventures on the West Coast, which include a direct service connection from Mundra to Dammam & Umm Qasr (India / Saudi / Iraq service – ISI) commencing January 2023 which would provide faster transits and cater to two-way traffic, including reefer/perishable cargoes.
Earlier, in a brief welcome address, Mr Mukesh Oza, President & CEO, Samsara Group, thanked the trade for its support and solicited their assistance for the forthcoming new services.
The event saw participation from Seniors of the shipping and Terminal fraternity.
BTL, a Common Feeder founded in the late 80s, operates largely in the Indian Subcontinent but also has Far Eastern services. Operating up to 30 vessels including VSAs, BTL carries approximately 800,000 TEUs per annum and is also rumoured to be assessing some South America services. Headquartered in Singapore, BTL remains one of the most renowned feeder operators in India – particularly for pioneering the shuttle feeder concept of directly connecting markets to hub transhipment ports, thereby assuring schedule integrity.
Source: Mumbai, Dec. 5