Major automakers in the country have finally opted for one of the oldest modes of transportation to send their cars in bulk across the country via coastal shipping. Key players like Renault, Ford, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda are among the first ones to reap benefit of coastal shipping. The first consignment of 500 cars will arrive at Cochin Port, one of the top 12 major ports in the country and distributed across various dealerships in Kerala.
M V Dresden, a Cyprus registered vessel, will be used for transportation services. Coincidentally, this is also the first licensed foreign flag ship transporting goods between Indian ports. The ship will conduct services between Ennore-Cochin-Kandla-Cochin-Ennore, thereby connecting automobile production hubs in Tamil Nadu in the East coast and Gujarat and Haryana in the West coast of India. The ship with 13 decks has a capacity of holding 4,300 cars.
Considering the requirements for highly clean surroundings and storage area for car handling,the Cochin Port has shortlisted the Q7 berth at the Ernakulam Wharf, as it offers a clean yard of 4,000 Sq mts. The Q7 berth will be used to store cars till the time it is being delivered to dealers, which generally happens in about a week’s time. The port expects to see a steady source of income of about Rs 3 to 6 crores per annum in addition to significantly contributing to environmental safety by eliminating thousands of trucks from the road and the resultant emission savings.
