Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMP Kolkata), in alliance with Pacific International Lines (PIL), has announced the inauguration of the China Calcutta Service (CCS) at the Kolkata Dock System (KDS). This is a direct weekly service from China to Kolkata, launched to meet the increasing demand for reduced transit times from the far east ports to Kolkata, enhancing connectivity and efficiency for its stakeholders.
The CCS will feature three dedicated vessels, namely, Kota Ria, Kota Rukun, and Kota Rakiyat. Each vessel has an average parcel load of 622 twenty-foot equivalent units, specially tailored to navigate lower draft conditions with a transit period of 10 to 12 days.
On July 18, 2024, the inaugural vessel, M/V Kota Rakyat welcomed at KDS. It will be followed by Kota Rukun on July 25, 2024. This weekly service is set to improve the shipping efficiency for the flourishing export-import trade across West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, the northeast states of India, as well as Nepal and Bhutan.