The New Mangalore Port hosted its first main line container vessel of 2011-12 earlier this week, Delmas Line's m.v. O. S. Sumsun, which arrived from the port of Matwara in East Africa, Exim News Service reports.

The vessel discharged 327 boxes of raw cashew and 23 TEUs of teakwood, besides loading 7 export containers with cashew kernels and jute bags.

According to a New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) release, the advantage of main line vessels directly calling at the Port is the reduced transit time and handling cost. It takes only 9 days direct between Mangalore and East Africa, whereas transit via Colombo entails many more days of sailing, the release pointed out. Moreover, shippers can also move exports as the vessels touch Singapore and other Far East countries during the return voyage.

"Main line vessels directly calling at the Port has resulted in upward growth of container traffic," said Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT. The Port handled a record 40,158 TEUs in 2010-11, 27.66 per cent more than the 31,456 TEUs in 2009-10.

The Chairman urged shipping lines and Port users to avail of the benefits of direct calls. Main line operators expressed happiness over the performance of their vessels at NMPT and promised more direct calls.