NW India Shippers to Reap Benefits of New Rail schedules for Port Pipavav Gujarat Pipavav Port L

(SANEPR.com) May 6, 2009 -- Mr Ashley Dinning, Chief Commercial Officer for the Port of Pipavav, said improved rail connectivity was a key focus for his team, which now included rail experts recruited from inside the industry.



He said that, under the leadership of Mr Manish Sharma, General Manager, Business Development for NW India, they were working intensively with cargo owners and shipping lines to improve their supply chains to and from North West India. The emphasis is on taking costs from their processes by using the Pipavav gateway.



“It all comes down to time and cost to market and Port Pipavav can be a significant enhancer for their bottom lines” he said.



“The predictability of these new services will enable shippers to plan more effectively the movement of their goods. They will know that a reliable and regular service will move their goods within an allotted time span, week after week.



“And Port Pipavav has already proven its ability to turn a train around quickly, which adds to its competitive advantage for customers” Mr Dinning added.



“An additional incentive for shippers to use the Pipavav gateway is that, unlike some other ports, rail services to and from Pipavav are minimally impacted during the monsoon season” he said. “Therefore shippers can rely on their cargo getting through, no matter what time of the year”.



The new services operate between Pipavav and the key North West India markets of Ahmedabad, Dadri, Ludhiana, Jaipur and Tuglakabad.



Initially the Ahmedabad service is operating once a week, heading to Pipavav on Saturday.

The Dadri service departs once a week, on Thursdays, Ludhiana has a Wednesday and Saturday service to Pipavav, Jaipur a Friday Service, Jodhpur a Saturday service and trains leave Tuglakabad for Pipavav twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.



Mr Dinning said the new schedules were great news for shippers, particularly when compared with what was previously available.



“Ahmedabad now has a regular weekly train, compared with an average of two trains per month and no fixed departures, Ludhiana has two weekly scheduled services, compared with 2-3 trains per month and no fixed departures, Jaipur and Jodhpur each have a weekly service, compared with a combination of two trains per month, with volumes from both locations and no fixed departures and Tuglakabad has moved from one to two trains per week, with the added advantage of fixed departures”.



He added that Port of Pipavav Commercial team members had been placed in the key locations of Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Jaipur (also responsible for Jodhpur), as well as at the port itself.



“I also have two key team members, both with extensive rail industry experience, in New Delhi, who look after Dadri and Tuglakabad” he said.



Both he and Mr Tulsiani praised the team members involved in working with these key customers and with the rail providers, for ensuring customer needs were being anticipated and met.



“CONCOR have been exceptionally responsive to our needs” Mr Tulsiani said. “I am sure that further expansions to regular services will be achievable as customer requirements grow”.



The scheduled trains will be single stacked, but with the potential to move to double stacking out of Jaipur and Jodhpur in the next few months.