The Port of Savannah is adding more ocean freight connections between Georgia Ports and the country of India, as the Asian nation continues its swift growth as a manufacturing hub.
The expansion happened Tuesday, when maritime carrier Ocean Network Express’ “ONE Modern,” the first ship on the ocean carrier’s West India North America (WIN) service, called on the Port of Savannah.
The new WIN service offers a weekly route from the ports of Bin Qasim, Hazira, Nhava Sheva, and Mundra to New York and Savannah.
According to Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch, deliveries from India to the U.S. East Coast are more efficient than U.S. West Coast routes. Even with current vessel diversions around Africa, GPA reaches inland markets across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest three to five days faster than U.S. West Coast ports.
The addition of the WIN service from ONE brings the Georgia Ports Authority’s direct weekly India services to four, while a total of eight services connect Savannah to the Indian Subcontinent. The service is provided by a fleet of nine vessels, all of which are operated by ONE.
“This new offering from ONE is a recognition of India’s growing role as a manufacturing hub,” Lynch said in a release. “As the world’s most populous country, with a growing consumer class and significant infrastructure investment, India represents a remarkable opportunity for trade via Savannah.”