The Doha-Mumbai service is a trade-boosting move offering advantages never experienced before

A new weekly container service begun by Milaha Maritime & Logistics will enable direct shipments to be made between Doha and Mumbai.

The company is a subsidiary of the Qatar-based Milaha Group which delivers integrated transport and supply chain solutions in the GCC region.

The new non-stop service will connect Qatar’s Doha port with India’s largest port Nhava Sheva, also known as Jawaharlal Nehru Port, located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The move will further facilitate the thriving trade activities between the two countries that have witnessed a phenomenal growth in recent years, said a statement.

Unlike existing services in the market, the new weekly service by Milaha will enable direct shipments between Nhava Sheva and Doha without the need for transhipment in Jebel Ali or elsewhere, thus increasing reliability and reducing transit time and costs, it added

With a reduced transit time, shipments of perishable products for the Qatari market will better retain freshness and quality. Moreover, the new service may open up new perishable commodity segments which – due to previous transit times – were previously not an option.

Khalifa Ali Al Hetmi, president and CEO of Milaha, said: “We express our thanks to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port for their support in reinforcing bilateral relations between Qatar and India that has gathered significant pace over the years.

“The launch of a fast and direct container service by Milaha will support the increasing trade volume, where imports into Qatar from India reached a total value of $989 million in 2013-2014.” The new service, named NDX, will not only bolster Milaha Maritime & Logistics’ feeder commitment to the Indian market, but also increase Milaha’s presence in non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) activities. In addition, the new non-stop service will strengthen the company’s existing feeder network with the UAE with more fixed connections.

Neeraj Bansal, chairman-in-charge, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, said: “The commencement of operations at Nhava Sheva’s Shallow Water Berth (SWB) has opened new business opportunities for handling smaller vessels, operating particularly from the Gulf region.

“We have allotted a fixed window slot to Milaha Maritime & Logistics to operate the Nhava Sheva Doha Express (NDX) service. We extend our full cooperation to the company to make use of the mechanised facility at SWB and benefit the trade between both countries.”