Expanding Sea Routes
SM Line announced on February 2 that the shipping company would cooperate with global shipping companies such as Cosco and OOCL to launch an additional East Indian service. The new route was named 'EI2’ (East coast India 2 service) and will start in the first week of March.
As a result, SM Line will operate two East Indian routes, including the existing East India Service (EIN) service.
Operators of the new route are Cosco, OOCL, Wan Hai, Inter Asia Line and Xpress Feeder among others which provide shipping services to major ports between Asia and East India by putting 4300TEU vessels into operation. SM Line operates its routes by purchasing holds from the shipping companies.
The ports of call in the route are Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Port Klang, Chennai (Madras), Kattupalli, Port Klang, Singapore and Shanghai in that order.
"This establishment of the new route is a preliminary stage for SM Line to expand its market share by increasing the number of services to India and increasing its holds. In the long term, SM Line will directly put ships in our East Indian routes,” said a representative of SM Line. “We will continue to expand our global service network such as launching new routes the west coast of North America."