“The maiden consignment of six Metro coaches built in Baroda for export to the Australian government were shipped from Mumbai Port,” a statement from Ministry of Shipping said.
This is the first shipment of the planned 450 coaches that will be exported to Australia over a period of two-and-a-half years.
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"Mumbai Port holds supremacy in handling of over-sized precious cargo," the statement said.
The coaches are 75 feet long and weigh 46 tonnes each, requiring a superior and highly specialised loading operation with a high degree of precision, it added.
"The entire stevedoring operation (loading into ship) of these prestigious over-sized metro coaches has been done in-house by Mumbai Port Trust unlike any other port in India where private operators carry out such operations," the statement said.