Maersk Line marks Nepal as a long-term trade partner

January 3, 2018: Maersk Line, the global containerized division of the Maersk Group, at a recently concluded trade meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, announced its intent to push for acceleration in trade in the country. The Nepal import market doubled in the past 5 years and Maersk line exuded confidence in providing momentum in this direction.

In June 2017, Maersk Line moved the first-ever container shipment from Visakhapatnam to Nepal, via an exclusive block train service named ‘Kathmandu Express’. This service offers a guaranteed fixed transit time from the load port to ICD Birgunj, just over the Nepal border. Maersk Line is the first shipping line to introduce the product. Since its launch, momentum has built up quickly based on customer demand, and the company expects 5-6 block trains moving monthly from Vishakhapatnam to Birgunj.

Steve Felder, MD Maersk Line (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives) stated, “We are confident about the trajectory of the Nepal market, and we would like to be a long-term trade partner in the region. We will be opening our commercial office in Kathmandu in the first half of 2018. Our focus has always been to enable trade through our increased service offering and be close to our customers. We intend to carry this commitment ahead for the Nepal market by providing customers with a seamless experience through both Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam.”