Page 18 - ITLN May June 2023 Magazine

Special Report
Dedicated Freight
Corridors

a spend of the GDP on the other hand. maiden train was flagged off from
We firmly believe that DFCs will be a Mundra with a full payload.
key enabler in this respect over the Adhendru Jain, CEO, Rail and Inland
next few years. Terminal, DP World Subcontinent says:
"Traditionally, exporters have used “Robust infrastructure and efficient
road transportation for flexibility. logistics are crucial for boosting
However, DFCs will make rail a more economic growth and exports. We
viable option. The dedicated corridors are committed to strengthening our
improve cargo safety and freight supply chain and enabling seamless
handling. Moreover, rail is a more connectivity to help our customers move
sustainable, lower emission offering their goods quickly and reliably to global
than hundreds of trucks moving cargo and domestic markets. The new double
over 1,200 kilometres. stacked rail freight service will boost
"We are confident that DFCs will also cargo carrying capacity substantially
add efficiency by enabling more weekly DFCs will majorly and will open new markets for MSMEs
trips for rail operators’ assets. In the attract container cargo, in and around Gujarat by leveraging
long run, these efficiency benefits will and therefore container DP World’s world-class integrated
get passed on to the country's importers multimodal logistics infrastructure.”
and exporters. carrying wagons will The NRP vision is very clear -
"At Maersk, we currently run three be in demand. focused activity of Railways will be to
rakes in partnership with Pipavav Vivek Lohia develop capacity and infrastructure,
Railways Corporation, and we will Jupiter Wagons and enhance rail freight share ahead
expand operations as rail becomes a of the demand, says Vivek Lohia,
preferred choice for the customer." Managing Director, Jupiter Wagons.
Maersk developed 13 weekly and apparels sector." Maersk reported "Further, the plan is to develop such
dedicated rail services designed in such 43 percent growth in the movement of capacity by 2030 that could cater to
a way that different industrial verticals containerised export cargo on rail in growing demand even up to 2050. The
were to be connected to the ports. 2021 and 23 percent growth on rail for objective is to provide an overall long-
"Examples of these were the Automotive import and export combined. term rail development.
Express running between NCR's DP World launched a new double- "It is known to everybody that the
automotive manufacturing hub and the stack freight train facility recently to national rail network of about 68,000
port of APM Terminals Pipavav, Gujarat improve efficiencies and connectivity km is used by both passenger trains
or the Retail Express that ran on DFC between its inland terminal at and goods traffic. Therefore, due to
to give assured transit time to lifestyle Ahmedabad and the Mundra port. The the congestion on the railway track

Photo: Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation

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