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New Indian Subcontinent/Med containers service at Port of Baltimore

[ August 27, 2021   //   ]

Working together through its public-private partnership, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) and Ports America Chesapeake have secured a new Indian Subcontinent and Mediterranean container service for the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. The Mediterranean Shipping Co. Indus 2 service will include an eight-ship string of 8,500 TEU container capacity vessels that will travel to Baltimore and seven other ports around the world. The first ship in this new service will begin loading cargo in India August 30.
The MSC Indus 2 service rotation will begin with the MSC Michaela. The service will start its journey in India and visit two ports in that country – the Port of Mundra in the Kutch district of Gujarat and the Port of Nhava Sheva. From there, ships will transit the Suez Canal to the Port of Gioia Tauro in Southern Italy, then the Port of Sines in Portugal. Ships will then visit ports in Norfolk, Va.; Baltimore, Md.; Miami, Fla.; and Freeport, Grand Bahama, then return to India.
“MSC is a great partner and a top container service provider, and we’re very pleased to continue our long working relationship with them with this new Indian subcontinent-Mediterranean service,” said MDOT MPA Executive Director William P. Doyle. “Baltimore is well positioned on the ecommerce and intermodal side of the logistics chain – we’ll be loading exports for the backhaul as well too.”
There is a need for utilization of more gateways like Baltimore to land cargo in the United States. Import/export demand for containerized cargo has substantially increased over the past year and with that, port congestion is an all-time high. Baltimore is a prime gateway for containers filled with goods heading to the ecommerce market and for cargo sent to the Midwest via rail. The Port has served 23 “ad hoc” ships over the past year – vessels diverted to Baltimore that were not on a regularly scheduled service call – totaling more than 35,000 TEU’s.
“The addition of the new Indian subcontinent (INDUS 2) service further enhances the Port of Baltimore and Ports America Chesapeake’s position as a key gateway for U.S. imports and exports,” said Ports America Chesapeake Vice President Bayard Hogans. “This service will provide our customers with new routings and a more efficient supply chain.”

“We’re very excited about the new MSC Indus 2 service,” said Scott Cowan, president of International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333. “New business means more work opportunities for the men and women of ILA 333. Our labor force takes great pride in their jobs and in working at the Port of Baltimore.”

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