India’s top container train operator moves into shipping
Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor), the nation’s top container train operator, is moving into the coastal shipping space at an interesting juncture in the country’s maritime history.
Concor has put out a tender to take two India-flagged boxships of at least 700 teu each on charter for a firm five years with an option to extend for another five years. The ships must be no more than 12 years old.
New Delhi is keen to develop coastal shipping to alleviate congestion on road and rail. To this end, earlier this month it announced plans to ease its cabotage laws, something foreign containerlines have been demanding for many years.
As well as operating containter trains, Concor has a network of container depots and terminals across India.