Freeport chosen by MSC for new direct route linking Med with India

Malta Freeport Terminals has been chosen by the world’s largest shipping company, MSC, as the facility for its new direct service connecting India and the West Mediterranean.

The 11,700 TEU container MSC Ivana – the first containership to call at the Freeport on the India-West Med Service – berthed at Terminal One North Quay and a five megamax crane formation was deployed to efficiently discharge and load more than 1,800 containers.

Malta Freeport Terminals CEO Alex Montebello said: “We are pleased to extend our relationship with MSC through this  service which continues to reinforce Malta’s status within the MSC network.”

The new service offers transit times between Mundra and Genoa in 19 days, Valencia in 23 days and Nhava Sheva to Barcelona in 16 days.

The ‘India – West Med Service’ also connects with MSC’s broad intermodal networks in Genoa and Valencia, opening new opportunities for exporters across the region and enhancing support for automotive, apparel and pharmaceutical industries between India and the West Mediterranean.

Major shipping lines currently calling at the Freeport include the Ocean Alliance – CMA CGM, Cosco, OOCL and Evergreen as well as MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, Marfret, and ONE.

Malta Freeport is an essential hub for both the international and local commercial community being globally connected through 16 mainline services calling on a weekly basis at the Freeport and providing links to 115 ports worldwide, over 50 of which are in the Mediterranean.

Malta Freeport Terminals has in recent years invested heavily in upgrading all areas of the operation: from developing the berths, to new equipment, the development of a new fuel station complying with the latest environmental standards; increasing reefer slots as well and installing the latest IT and semi-automation technology among others.

The facility handled 2.89 million TEUs in 2022 in what proved to be a challenging year for the industry due to  the aftermath of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine and will be intensifying its focus on the further development of its facilities aimed at strengthening its physical capability to efficiently service container ships of the future.

The new India-West Med Service calls at Malta Freeport – King Abdullah – Jeddah– Abu Dhabi - Jebel Ali – Mundra – Nhava Sheva – Djibouti  – Gioia Tauro  – Genoa – Barcelona – Valencia  – Salerno – Gioia Tauro and back to Malta Freeport.