Gujarat Pipavav's 2nd weekly rail service starts rolling

AHMEDABAD: APM Terminals Pipavav ( Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd) has commenced a new weekly double stack rail service to the industrial center in Faridabad in Haryana.

The dedicated double stack operations will be operated in association with Gateway Rail and NYK India. Known as " Sakura II", the service will operate between Pipavav Port and ICD-Faridabad (Piyala)/ICD-Garhi Harsaru, covering a distance of 1,015 km (630 miles) exclusively for Japanese NYK Shipping Line.

The existing Sakura I dedicated double stack rail service, is operated by NYK exclusively for containers being imported by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

Double stack rail movements were pioneered in India by APM Terminals and the Indian Railway in 2006 with service from Pipavav to the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, terminating in Jaipur. Pipavav Port is currently moving block trains between Garhi Harsaru and Pipavav and between Ludhiana and Pipavav.