Thoothukudi: A new cargo ship service has been launched to the Thoothukudi V.O.C. Port via China and Vietnam.
In this regard, a press release issued by Thoothukudi V.O.C. Port Authority Chairman Sushantakumar Purohit states: A new cargo ship service has been launched to connect China, Vietnam, and India. Through Regional Container Line, arrangements have been made to operate cargo ships directly to Thoothukudi via China and Vietnam.
Accordingly, the cargo container ship ‘MV Navatha Boom’ arrived in Thoothukudi for the first time. The ship was welcomed by VOC Port officials and cargo container terminal officials. This ship, which is 147.82 meters long and 23.38 meters wide, has the capacity to handle 1,100 containers.
This ship departed from Qinzhou port in China and arrived at the V.O.C. port in Thoothukudi via Haiphong port in Vietnam. It then continues via Kattupalli port to Vietnam’s Chulai port. From there, it returns to Qinzhou. It takes 13 days to reach Vietnam from Qinzhou in China, and 12 days to reach Thoothukudi from Haiphong in Vietnam.
This ship is currently operated only twice a week. Depending on the needs of exporters and importers, the number of services will be increased. It is expected that this new shipping service will further strengthen the port’s maritime connectivity with South China and Vietnam. Additional trade opportunities will be created for industries such as solar panel manufacturing and electric vehicle manufacturing.
VOC Port handled 4.42 lakh cargo containers during the period from April to September in the 2026-27 financial year. In the same period of the previous financial year, it had handled 4.28 cargo containers. This is a growth of 3.18 percent.
Through the third container terminal to be established at Cargo Berth 7 of VOC Port and the outer port project, the capacity to handle cargo containers will increase, attracting additional shipping services, and VOC Port will emerge as a major container hub on India’s east coast. The press release stated this.