Panaji : Goa’s recently resumed container shipping services from Mormugao Port could see increased freight movement from Karnataka, with industrial units from the neighbouring state showing interest in using the fortnightly vessel service operated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI).
Around 80 exporters from Karnataka expressed willingness to transport cargo through the Vasco port during a trade promotion meet organised by the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) and the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA).
Exporters currently transporting cargo by road to Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai said Goa’s proximity made it a more affordable and feasible option for executing international trade orders. Container shipping operations from Mormugao resumed on November 21 this year after remaining closed for several years. The vessels operate to Mundra port in Gujarat, from where cargo is transshipped to international destinations.
Officials at MPA said the service is currently being used by a few Goan exporting companies but is expected to pick up in the coming months. “SCI has promised to continue the vessel service in the future. Efforts are on to attract more shipping lines to the port,” said the official.
The meeting was inaugurated by MPA chairperson Dr N Vinodkumar in the presence of BK Shivakumar, managing director, VTPC, GK Adappagoudar, president, KCC&I, and Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal vice-president and unit head RaghobaKotkar, among others.
Two panel discussions, ‘North Karnataka’s Gateway: Where Skills Meet Global Markets’ and ‘Smart Ports: Smarter Trade’, were also held during the meet.
