VASCO
With the container ship ‘SM Mahi’ having left with 210 containers on its final trip from the MPT on Wednesday morning, bringing to an end a 29-year-old container feeder service, it has now emerged that the MPT is hoping to restart the service.
The MPT has now appealed to stakeholders to commit to container volumes at the port, to provide sustainability and consistency in efforts to resume container feeder service.
In a letter to port users on August 2, MPT Traffic Manager Capt. Himanshu Shekhar stated that the MPT is in receipt of various representations regarding the abrupt suspension of the feeder vessel call at Goa.
“In order to encourage any new feeder container services, the port is proactively pursuing with other operators to start container feeder connection. We are hopeful that the efforts may fructify within the next few days, an announcement will be made soonest thereafter,” stated Capt. Shekhar.
“In the meanwhile, it has also be observed and highlighted by vessel operators that increase in containerised volumes from MPT will provide sustainability and consistency to our above efforts.”
“Accordingly, all the stakeholders involved in container EXIM/Coastal trade, i.e. exporters, importers, cargo interests, manufacturers may continue to commit and declare firm container volumes at MPT,” the letter stated.
