KOCHI: Showing signs of growth for the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), Vallarpadom, shipping companies are routing their export cargo via Kochi.In line with the trend, a train carrying empty containers from the ICTT, Vallarpadam, left for Bangalore on Friday. The containers will be sent back after they are loaded with cargo at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Bangalore, said sources in the DP World, which operates the terminal.“A full rake (90 TEU) was sent by shipping major CMA CGM which operates mainline services to Europe and Africa via Kochi. The stuffed containers are expected to be back for shipping in a few days,” said DP World officials. “Till now, no shipping company was interested to route cargo via Kochi. All of them were focusing on ports outside Kerala, especially the Chennai Port. Cargo from Bangalore used to be sent to Chennai. The new development is a positive indication that shipping companies are interested to tap the potential of ICTT,” said a senior official of the Dubai Port World. At present, four trains conduct services every week connecting the Bangalore ICD with the ICTT. The existing train services between the ICTT and other ICDs are managed by the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR). “The flow of cargo from Bangalore ICD was nominal when the ICTT was commissioned in February this year. It was around just 200-300 TEUs per month then. Since then, there has been considerable growth in the flow of cargo during the past six months. By July-August in 2011, the volume of cargo went up to around 800 TEUs per month,” sources said.Gherkins, garments, granite and machinery constitute a major chunk of consignment from the Bangalore ICD.
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