Pipavav, India, runs its first ro-ro automobile export service to Mexico loaded onto the Grand Dahlia.
A new era for the Indian auto industry and Gujarat Port Pipavav have commenced on August 27th. 1,300 new Indian-built Ford automobiles started towards Mexico on the 59,217 gross ton Roll On/Roll Off (Ro/Ro) vessel Grand Dahlia. This vessel runs on the agreement with Japanese-based NYK subsidiary NYK Auto Logistics (NAL) India for finished car export services and the construction of a new automobile services terminal.
Highlights:
Grand Dahlia:
- It is 200-meter long, 33-meter wide.
- It Facilitates 6,500 vehicles.
NAL car terminal:
- It has 4,400 square meter (one acre) staging area.
- The terminal has 80,000 square meter (20 acre) automotive Ro/Ro stockyard
- The car terminal area is leased from Port Pipavav by NAL,
- It Facilitates 250,000 vehicles annually.
Ford Automobiles:
- Ford Automobile and engine manufacturing facility situated in Sanand, Gujarat.
- It is Located 186 miles away from Pipavav Port.
- It has a production capacity of 240,000 cars and car engines each annually.
- 50% of its production is exported.
- Indian automobile exports rose to 71,181m units in the first 11 months of the fiscal year.
Pipavav Port:
- The port has an annual throughput capacity to 1.35 million TEUs.
- It is one among two ports in India which can accommodate high-cube double-stack rail cars.
- Port has a liquid bulk terminal, operating under sub-lease by the Aegis Group from April 2014.
- Pipavav port Shows an annual growth rate of 18%.
- Currently expansion in pipavav port is underway including:
- Strengthening the existing berth,
- Additional dredging,
- Three new post-Panamax cranes,
- Four new RTGs.
Keld Pedersen, APM Terminals Pipavav Managing Director has lauded that this loaded shipment of India-built automobiles for export marks the beginning of not only a fourth new service offering to be provided by Port Pipavav, but also a new chapter in India’s growing automotive sector, and the new automotive manufacturing hub located in Gujarat State.
Source: APM Terminals