RCL, PIL, IAL launching China – India east coast service

The China – Vietnam – India service launches from Ningbo on 22 April and will be served by vessels of an average size of 2,200 teu from the consortium of lines. RCL is deploying the vessel Xutra Bhum on the service which it brands as RFM2.

“The new RFM2 will complement RCL’s existing sailings on the RFM (Korea – China – East India) and RMB (Thailand to Kattupalli) and provide our valued customers more sailing frequency.  With a call at Ho Chi Minh, our customers in Shanghai and Ningbo can also load to    Ho Chi Minh while customers from Ho Chi Minh will have a direct sailing into Chennai and the first in the Visakhapatnam market,” an RCL spokesman said.

Tonnie Lim, Chief Trade Officer, PIL, said, “As a Singapore home grown shipping line, PIL’s strength lies in our connectivity within Asia, as well as between Asia and other key regions in the world. This new service to India’s East Coast reflects our confidence in the growth potential of India, and our commitment to continue to seek new opportunities to expand our network into India.”

The new service will call Ningbo – Shanghai – Ho Chi Minh – Singapore – Chennai – Visakhapatnam – Port Kelang – Ho Chi Minh – Ningbo.