Editor's note: This story was updated with additional information on the service from India, based on press releases from ports in Charleston, South Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida.
The Port of Savannah and ocean carrier ONE Line are offering a service connection between India and Georgia as the country grows its production capacity and consumer demand.
“This new offering from ONE is a recognition of India’s growing role as a manufacturing hub,” Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch said in a June 20 press release. “As the world’s most populous country, with a growing consumer class and significant infrastructure investment, India represents a remarkable opportunity for trade via Savannah.”
The weekly service called West India North America offers a weekly route from Bin Qasim, Hazira, Nhava Sheva and Mundra to New York and Savannah.
ONE has also partnered with the Port of New York and New Jersey, Jacksonville Port Authority and the South Carolina Ports Authority to its port rotation from India. The service will facilitate the trade of commodities such as electronics, food products, clothing and retail goods, according to multiple press releases from the ports.
Lynch said that deliveries from India to the East Coast ports are more efficient than using the West Coast ports.
“Even with current vessel diversions around Africa, GPA reaches inland markets across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest three to five days faster than U.S. West Coast ports,” he said.
ONE Line’s West India North America service brings Georgia Ports Authority’s direct weekly India services to four with a total of eight services that connect Savannah to the Indian Subcontinent. The service is operated by a fleet of nine vessels which are all operated by ONE.
India has played a pivotal role in supply chains as some manufacturing has shifted away from China since the pandemic to help mitigate potential disruptions.Companies such as Apple and Cisco have rolled out plans to ramp up their manufacturing capabilities in India. High-level investments from such companies have drawn more attention to India as a potential location for contract manufacturing, particularly in electronics.
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