Maersk Line launches direct service to Europe from India

The service, ICON (India, Colombo, north Europe) will have a direct, dedicated and fast coverage from Chennai to north Europe, a company release said here.

The ICON service will deploy 7x3,400 TEU vessels and operate with the following port rotation -- Chennai-Colombo-Salalah-Zeebrugge-Felixstowe-Rotterdam-Bremerh aven-Salalah-Colombo -- it said.

Maersk Line Managing Director (India and Sri Lanka) Rizwan Soomar said, "With excellent transit times from Chennai to Felixstowe (UK), this is a fast product and well-suited for all our customers in time-sensitive industries like apparel and retail.

This also addresses our customers' long-standing demand for a direct product from south India to Europe, which helps in achieving better efficiency in supply-chains and reducing overheads for our customers."

The service also boasts of carrying special hanging garments containers to ensure garments arrive in good condition, ready to place directly into retail outlets.

The service will also provide a wide coverage of the Scandinavian and Russian markets via Bremerhaven, Germany, the release said, adding the first vessel from Chennai is scheduled for March 14.