Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced the launch of the SMX service, linking Laem Chabang (Thailand), Singapore, Port Klang (Malaysia) and Chennai that will commence on March 23, Exim News Service reported.
MOL’s partners in this service are Bengal Tiger Line (BTL) and Regional Container Lines (RCL), each of which will deploy one 1,100 TEU vessel on a 21-day round voyage providing fixed-day weekly calls at the ports.
The service is also named RMB after its participants.
Its port rotation will be: Laem Chabang (Tue, Wed), Singapore (Fri, Sat), Port Klang (Sun, Mon), Chennai (Fri, Sat), Penang (Wed, Thu), Port Klang (Thu, Fri), Singapore (Sat, Sun), Laem Chabang.
The service will commence with the call of the m.v. MOL Evolution at Laem Chabang on March 23. The other vessels in the service are m.v. Bani Bhum and m.v. Cape Fox.
According to MOL, the service will draw on its full-scale network to offer a wide variety of both inbound and outbound services to meet the rising demand in this region.
MOL will meet a broad range of customer needs by continually offering high-quality services to India’s growing markets, along with its current India West Coast NKX service, it said.
BTL, a Bay of Bengal feeder specialist, has in recent years been expanding its service coverage as far east as Korea and China and westward to the Red Sea and Gulf. Its main trade remains the Chennai market and, with this service is offered 4 sailings a week to and from Singapore, said a company release.
BTL Chairman, Mr Joachim von der Heydt, commented, "We are delighted to be participating in this new product for the trade, and are sure it will satisfy both our clients and partners. Whilst our philosophy remains to run direct shuttle connections, we realise that some longer-haul requirements are required, but if we can double-dip over Singapore, then this will undoubtedly provide us more revenue."
The service will reportedly provide less than 10 days end-to-end transit and, on the return leg, a Penang call will cater to both inbound laden traffic from Chennai, as well as a feeder link to Singapore. In Chennai, the service will call at PSA-Sical’s new Terminal, CITPL.
Chennai is the main East Coast gateway port and is increasingly becoming an important market for consumable products as well as the automobile assembly industry. BTL has been involved in Chennai for over 20 years and operated the first Berth Reservation Scheme, which facilitated the start of regular and reliable connectivity.
"We are always looking into service structures which upgrade our existing service pattern, and are therefore very happy with this new strong partnership," said BTL’s Managing Director, Mr Bill Smart.