Date:09/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/04/09/stories/2007040903900300.htm

Back Boxtrans ready for service launch

Santanu Sanyal

Kolkata April 8 Boxtrans Logistics (India) Services Pvt Ltd, the private container train operator belonging to the JM Baxi Group, is all set to launch its service. The first rake, delivered by Texmaco at the Eastern Railway's Cossipore goods shed near here, is now engaged in loading cargo for the maiden run between Cossipore and Loni near New Delhi.

"The loading will be completed shortly," said a spokesman for Boxtrans. "We are getting excellent support from the Railways".

In all, 90 TEUs, all empties and supplied by two foreign shipping lines, Zim and Hapag-Lloyd, are being placed on the rake. A number of them will be used for loading the domestic cargo for the Cossipore-Loni run.

At Loni, the boxes will be destuffed and fresh consignments, all exports, will be loaded for Mundra for shipments through the Gujarat port.

Boxtrans has entered into an arrangement with Worlds Window, a private firm, for using the Central Warehousing Corporation's terminal at Loni. CWC has leased out the terminal to Worlds Window.

"Our licence permits us to offer services on various important routes except the Delhi-JNPT route," says the spokesman pointing out that arrangements are being finalised for running services on those routes.

Latest by June, the remaining 11 rakes, ordered by Boxtrans, will be delivered by Texmaco and each of them will start their first run from Cossipore.

Initially two rakes, but ultimately three, will be deployed on the Loni-Mundra sector. Since JM Baxi Group, in partnerships with Dubai Port International, also operates the Visakhapatnam port's container terminal, three more rakes will also be deployed on the Loni-Visakhapatnam sector.

"For the deployment of the six other rakes, we are examining various routes," observes the spokesman. "There is no dearth of traffic".