All-weather Krishnapatnam Port today said it has entered into a pact with Mearsk Line for commencing a new service from Salalah, Oman.
"Krishnapatnam Port welcomes Mearsk Line India for starting a new service from Salalah, Oman to Krishnapatnam Port. It will be a weekly service starting from April 17, 2016," Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd (KPCL) said in a statement.
The service will connect customers in the surrounding area of Andhra Pradesh, northern Tamil Nadu and eastern Karnataka directly to Oman and neighbouring region.
"It will offer fast transit time between eastern coast of India, Sri Lanka and Oman. The ports of rotation for the services are: Salalah - Colombo - Krishnapatnam Port - Kattupalli - Salalah," the statement said.
Managing Director of KPCL Chinta Sasidhar said: "We are very pleased to welcome Mearsk Line and look forward to a rewarding professional relationship. The new service will substantially reduce transit time in these areas and will also minimise the cost, which will be of a huge benefit to our customers."
Shipping lines service coupled with the Chennai Express which has been calling Krishnapatnam Port for almost two years will benefit a large number of exporters and importers, KPCL said.
Faster transit time and weekly fixed cut-off will benefit ensure a smooth supply chain for customers.
KPCL on the east coast of India at Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh was promoted by the Hyderabad-based CVR Group.
The port with a transit storage area of 6800 acres has the country's largest waterfront area of 161 sq km, and a depth of 20.5 metres. Its current draft of 18.5 metres can accommodate full-sized cape vessel of 200,000-tonne capacity.
