DHL Launches Nhava Sheva LCL Service

DHL launched a direct less-than-containerload service from India’s largest container port of Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru) to Durban, South Africa.

DHL Global Forwarding said the new service, to be operated through its in-house carrier Danmar Lines, will help facilitate increased trade between India and South Africa, and offer customers reliable, cost-effective ocean freight services between the two leading ports.

“With trade between India and Africa having risen almost four-fold in the last five years, from $9.9 billion in 2004-05 to $39 billion in 2008-09, DHL Global Forwarding sees vast potential on the India-Africa trade lane,” the company said.

By The Numbers: U.S. Container Trade With India.

The company has been expanding its LCL services from Indian ports to global destinations aimed at taking advantage of surging demand on major trade lanes. Last year, it launched two similar services connecting Nhava Sheva to the Middle East and Los Angeles.

Container volume at major Indian ports jumped 11 percent year-over-year in the first nine months of fiscal 2010-11 ending Dec. 31. Traffic at Nhava Sheva during April-December increased to 3.2 million 20-foot equivalent units from 3 million TEUs.

DHL Global Forwarding operates in India in a joint venture with Mumbai-based shipping and logistics provider Lemuir Group. The local unit, called DHL Lemuir Logistics, has offices at all major locations in the country.