Abu Dhabi Ports launching container feeder with Bengal Tiger Line

The new feeder line will start out with a service covering UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Pakistan, and Western India to feed cargo to and from mainline operators calling at Abu Dhabi Ports terminals.

The service, under the Safeen Feeders brand is being developed with long standing feeder container line Bengal Tiger Line. The company will be deploying three 2,700 teu vessels on the UAE-Indian Sub-Continent Gulf Service (UIG) service on a 21-day rotation.

The service is expected to start from Mundra 30 June and will have a rotation of Khalifa Port; Jebel Ali Port; Karachi; (Kandla); Mundra; Nhava Sheva; Khalifa Port; Jebel Ali Port; Bahrain; Dammam; Jubail; and, Khalifa Port.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, group ceo of Abu Dhabi Ports: “With the addition of the new service, our shipping clients can expect efficient and cost-effective transhipment feeder solutions with ever-expanding regional and international reach and connectivity. These two elements are absolutely vital in today’s increasingly competitive international trade environment.

“By partnering with Bengal Tiger Line, we are not only growing our Abu Dhabi Ports family and creating mutually positive solutions, but we are also significantly broadening our product and service offering to our valued clients and enhancing our contribution to Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy.”

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Bill Smart, chief executive of BTL, commented: “We are excited to be partnering with Abu Dhabi Ports in developing feeder solutions for the region and look forward to jointly promoting Safeen Feeders’ services in conjunction with our own BTL brand.”

The two companies said they expect to expand the service to ports in the broader Gulf region.

The new company could also expand into other regions such as Africa. “Over the long-term, the new company will explore further service opportunities at container terminals in the Red Sea and East Africa regions,” Abu Dhabi Ports said.