Berths allotted to Delta Group which will operate terminal
VASCO
Container operations resumed at the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) on Thursday morning, with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) taking the lead as its vessel SCI Mumbai arrived at the port, marking a significant revival of Goa’s long-pending container service.
The service was formally flagged off by MPA Chairman Dr N Vinod Kumar in the presence of Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Pvt Ltd (DPMTPL) Chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed, DPMTPL Vice-President and Goa Incharge Raghoba Kotkar, and other officials.
According to MPA, the resumption of the service is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening Goa’s industrial and export ecosystem.
Speaking to reporters, Dr Kumar said the port had extended full support to ensure the service takes off smoothly.
“We have resumed container service with SCI Mumbai docking at MPA. These berths have been allotted to Delta Group on a PPP model and they will be operating the terminal, while the port will extend all necessary support," he said.
“To encourage trade, we have waived vessel-related charges for the first six months. The pharma and non-pharma sectors in Goa must utilise this service so that shipping lines and feeder services gain confidence—not just SCI but other operators as well.”
DPMTPL Chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed said the company had offered extremely competitive rates to make the service attractive for exporters and importers.
“We have kept our charges very low, without any profit margins, because we want trade to restart container movement through Goa,” he said.
“Our on-berth warehouses are coming up, where stuffing and de-stuffing will be allowed inside the port itself for the convenience of the industry. We have modern equipment and electrically operated cranes powered by solar energy. Our aim is to run a completely green operation, and we will gradually convert all our machinery to electrical systems.”
Ahmed added that the terminal would cater not only to Goan industries but also to businesses from neighbouring regions.
“We are targeting industries from Belagavi, Hubbali and even up to Bellary. If they require train connectivity, we can handle containers arriving by rail as well. We expect this service to scale up quickly. Along with SCI, other global operators including Maersk have shown interest.”
DPMTPL Vice-President and Goa Incharge Raghoba Kotkar said this is a big day for Delta, for MPA and for Goan industries.
“We held several meetings with SCI and other operators, and today we have finally delivered on the long-awaited demand to restart container services from Goa port,” said Kotkar.
Kotkar added that weekly container ship calls have been planned, with a focus on promoting environmentally sustainable cargo movement.
“SCI Mumbai is already at berth, and it is a major vessel carrying around 4,000 TEUs. This should send a strong message to Goan industries to try this revived service,” he said.
“Transporting containers by road costs nearly Rs 1.4 lakh, whereas many of Goa’s major industries are within 15 km of the port. Moving containers by sea will be far cheaper and far more convenient.”
With renewed interest from global shipping lines, upgraded infrastructure, and cost-effective logistics solutions, officials said the port is confident the container service will gain rapid traction in the weeks ahead.
