SITC launches new weekly services to East Coast and China

Hong Kong-based intra-Asia liner operator, SITC International Holdings Company Ltd, is set to inaugurate a new direct weekly service connecting the fast-growing China/Southeast Asia – India East Coast region, with port calls at Visakhapatnam and Chennai. SITC International previously expanded its network to include India, with a service call at Kolkata port earlier this year. The extension now includes Visakhapatnam and Chennai ports as part of the FIE 1 service (Far East India East-Coast 1), commencing on September 10.The service will have a port rotation that includes Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, and Port Klang (West). With a focus on tapping into the potential of the Indian trade market, this strategic expansion aims to bolster SITC's comprehensive coverage in Asia. In addition to direct port calls, the service will cater to inland locations such as Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Nepal, while further exploration of additional inland destinations in North and Central India is planned.In India, SITC International Holdings is represented by Eastern Liners Shipping Pvt Ltd, a J M Baxi Group Company, with an extensive network spanning over 20 locations, encompassing major inland container depots and ports. The J M Baxi Group also operates a container terminal at Visakhapatnam port.SITC International Holdings ranks 13th among global container shipping enterprises in terms of capacity, according to Alphaliner. The company operates 100 vessels, including 89 self-owned ships, servicing 72 service routes that cover 77 major ports in various regions including Mainland China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan China, Hong Kong China, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Bengal, Myanmar, and India.