Chennai Container Terminal (CCT) will achieve a record handling of over one million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) this calendar year, according to Mr Ennarasu Karunesan, CEO, CCT.

“We will join the million club and end up the year with a handling of around 1.20 million TEUs,” he told newspersons.

Last year, the private container terminal run by the Dubai-based DP World handled 8.3 lakh TEUs.

Chennai is becoming a major port of call for mainline container vessels that offer direct link between major ports.

Direct link

In March, Maersk started a direct service to the US and in May, the CMA-CGM launched a service to the Mediterranean ports.

Consortium

Today, a three-member shipping line consortium launched the Asia Chennai service from Chennai to Korea and China.

Tokyo Senpaku Kaisha Line, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Bengal Tiger Line will operate the service on a weekly service with four vessels of 1,200 TEUs capacity each.

The service will connect Chennai with Port Klang, Singapore, Chiwan, Shanghai, Busan and Ulsan.

Tiger Pearl was the first vessel on this service, which was launched by the Chennai Port Trust Chairman, Mr K. Suresh. The service will help shippers save nearly four days in transit time and also on transhipment cost at the Singapore port.

The vessel had 1,299 import boxes with cargoes such as computer parts, auto parts and chemicals.

It will carry 900 export boxes containing cargoes such as granite, engineering goods, food products and garments, according to CCT press release.