THE GOAN | VASCO
After years of watching ships sail by, Goa’s Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) is finally back in the container game. The port, which last saw container movement in 2018, is all set to welcome its first container vessel by the end of November — marking the end of a seven-year dry spell that had forced exporters to rely on expensive and time-consuming road transport.
According to sources at the port, the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has been finalised as the feeder vessel operator for the service.
The announcement has triggered cautious optimism among trade circles that had long demanded the revival of container operations from Goa.
Vishnu Prasad, senior business development manager at Delta Ports (Mormugao Terminal Pvt Ltd), confirmed that SCI’s vessel SCI Mumbai will make its maiden call to the port on November 20.
“This is a huge breakthrough after years of persistent follow-ups with various feeder operators and shipping lines. The first container ship will call on its maiden voyage at the port on November 20, and it is indeed a big day for Goans and industries alike,” said Prasad, visibly buoyed by the development.
7 years and a costly detour
The last container ship to berth at the port did so back in 2018. Since then, exporters and manufacturers in Goa were left with little choice but to send their cargo by road to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nava Sheva), Mumbai — at a steep cost.
“Transporting a dry container by road cost around Rs 80,000, while a reefer container (for perishables) cost nearly Rs 1 lakh. With this sea route, exporters can save close to 60 percent of that amount,” Prasad explained.
The new service promises more than just cost savings. It offers faster, cleaner, and smarter logistics. The sea journey from Goa to Mundra Port in Gujarat — India’s largest container terminal — will take only two days of sailing. In comparison, road shipments often need two to three weeks of advance planning and can be delayed by congestion, fuel hikes, or bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“This service doesn’t just bring down cost and time — it will also cut down Goa’s carbon footprint substantially. Moving containers by sea instead of trucks will significantly reduce emissions, which is a big win for sustainability,” Prasad noted.
Gateway to the world
Once the SCI Mumbai sets sail from Mormugao, it will connect directly to Mundra Port, a sprawling hub that offers superior connectivity to global trade routes. From there, goods can reach Europe, the United States, and the Middle East through well-established shipping networks.
“This connectivity opens up huge possibilities for Goan exporters, especially in pharma, seafood, and manufacturing sectors,” said Prasad.
“Earlier, exporters had to wait until their cargo reached Nava Sheva to get the Bill of Lading (BL). Now, they’ll get it right at Goa Port when the container is loaded — speeding up the entire transaction.”
Delta Ports has ambitious plans to make Goa a permanent stop on the Indian maritime map. “Our goal is to ensure Mormugao Port reclaims its place as a vital logistics link. Goa’s trade has always deserved direct sea connectivity. Now, it’s back,” Prasad said.
First voyage: modest start, big ambitions
The first call of SCI Mumbai may have limited cargo — around 25 to 30 containers of coastal cargo arriving from Kandla Port — but the Delta Ports team is already planning for larger volumes in subsequent voyages.
“We are looking at various cargoes being planned for containerisation. From Goa, we expect seafood, pharma products, and manufactured goods to move directly to Mundra. In return, Goa will receive coastal cargo such as tiles, fertilisers, industrial salt, wheat, and bentonite clay,” Prasad shared.
Delta Ports expects container volumes to rise steadily, especially from the pharmaceutical sector. “We are expecting around 250 containers from the pharma sector alone per voyage, once the service stabilises,” he said.
Plans for expansion
If all goes well, the SCI Mumbai will soon be joined by another vessel — SCI Chennai — to make the service a weekly affair.
“SCI Mumbai is a massive vessel with a deadweight of 50,000 tonnes and capacity for 4,000 containers. Initially, it will call once every ten days. But once volumes pick up, we plan to add SCI Chennai to make it weekly,” said Prasad.
Delta Ports is also in talks with global shipping giants like Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and Ocean Network Express (ONE).
“We’ve had a series of meetings and trade interactions with these companies. Now that SCI has taken the first step, others will follow once they see the potential,” he added.
Delta’s long pursuit finally pays off
The announcement is a culmination of relentless efforts by Delta Ports to convince feeder operators to reintroduce services to Goa. For years, shipping companies were hesitant, citing a lack of sufficient export volumes from the State.
“We’ve been following up with many liners for years, but most were skeptical because of the lack of outbound cargo. We had to prove that Goa’s trade base was ready,” Prasad said.
He revealed that Delta officials even visited SCI’s management three times last month to secure their confidence.
“This revival didn’t happen overnight. We’ve had multiple meetings, trade gatherings, and consultations. The trade is supportive, but we now need to convert that support into tangible container volumes.”
Handled at Berths 10 & 11
All container handling operations will take place at Berths 10 and 11 of Mormugao Port. Delta Ports will manage the container operations, while MPA will oversee marine movements — berthing, unberthing, and navigation support.
“The coordination between MPA and Delta is strong. Once the operations begin, we’ll also hold another trade meet to understand feedback and identify challenges,” said Prasad.
