NT Reporter | Vasco
Container operations at Mormugao Port resumed after a gap of seven years with the arrival of the feeder vessel SCI Mumbai at Berth No. 10 on Thursday, marking what officials described as a revival of coastal container connectivity for Goa.
The vessel, handled by Delta Logistics and Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Pvt Ltd, brought 33 containers of tiles, wheat and salt from Kandla, along with additional coastal
cargo from Tuticorin.
“The resumption is expected to strengthen Goa’s cargo movement and improve logistical efficiency,” said officials.
Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Pvt Ltd said the arrival of SCI Mumbai marks a “historic moment” for Goa’s maritime trade.
Chairman of MPA, Dr Vinod Kumar IPoS, said, “If anything stops it is very difficult to restart it. And so it is with the container vessels. All of us worked hard for this moment. We can also say that this is a historic moment for the port to restart the container vessels.”
Stating that it is slightly “embarrassing that Goa is using the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at Navi Mumbai for sending containers”, he said the pharmaceutical and non-pharma and all agencies can benefit from this service.
“In fact, even NCPOR utilises the services of JNPA to send containers to the Antarctic centre. Slowly but gradually this service being used through JNPA, we should try to get it to the port. It is possible with efforts, quality and container tracking. With all agencies giving timely clearance will also help. Hope that with these efforts the MPA can get back the container business it once had. This should be a new beginning and more vessels frequently coming. I hope that we will reach the peak like earlier and even surpass it, within a year or two,” saod Kumar.
Managing Director of Delta Logistics and Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Pvt Ltd, Shamil Ahmed, said the milestone represents more than a vessel movement. He said it is a step towards reducing logistics costs, improving turnaround times, and positioning Goa as a strategic logistics hub in line with the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
He said the company expects volume to increase in subsequent voyages and urged pharmaceutical companies, seafood exporters, meat exporters and other manufacturers in and around Goa to support the service by routing exports through Mormugao Port instead of using Nhava Sheva Port.
