First APL IndiaLinx™ train bound for Mumbai rolls out from Delhi

APL IndiaLinx™, a groundbreaking container rail freight service connecting India's commercial centers of Delhi and Mumbai, is now underway.

The first train loaded with cargo departed the Loni inland container depot (ICD) near Delhi on Thursday 31 May 2007, bound for Mumbai.

APL IndiaLinx™, a joint venture between NOL and Hindustan Infrastructure Projects and Engineering (HIPE), offers a solution to transportation congestion in India by providing reliable rail connections with container ships and significantly shortening inland transit times. It will also provide first and last mile connectivity via trucking services to and from ICDs.

While the initial focus will be on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor, APL IndiaLinx™ will expand its coverage to other parts of India as more trains are added to the service.

A successful launch event was held in Delhi on 1 June 2007 to mark the milestone. This was attended by senior company representatives, including NOL Group Deputy President Cedric Foo and APL Logistics President Brian Lutt, Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Chairman of HIPE) and many employees who had worked to make the new service a reality, as well as Indian Government VIPs and railways representatives.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Foo said: "After more than a year of hard work and planning, I'm delighted to introduce APL IndiaLinx™. We commend the Indian Government for its efforts to attract overseas investment and expertise into its transportation sector. I'm certain our investment and know-how will support the growing import and export markets here in India by providing rapid and reliable transportation solutions."

Mr Chandrasekhar said: "Today is an important milestone for India's rail and transportation sector. This has been made possible by the recent policies of the Railway Ministry in inviting private investment and public-private partnership to expand the country's rail infrastructure thereby providing customers with more transportation choices. Rapid investment in this sector is crucial for sustained economic growth of our economy.”

The importance of overcoming inadequate transportation infrastructure to India's economic progress was identified in research commissioned by NOL in 2005. The report, titled "Connecting India: Transport Challenges and Opportunities", concluded that India risks missing out on an additional 1-2% of annual GDP growth led by its manufacturing sector unless it can improve its transportation connections to meet the needs of complex international supply chains.

"By owning our own rail wagons, and organizing our own timetable, we can offer India's shippers a single point of contact for the coordination of the inland and ocean portions of their transportation in India," said NOL President for South Asia, Kenneth Glenn.

The launch of the new service is an important step in building upon the NOL Group’s leadership position in India, which began in 1973 when APL landed the first-ever cargo container on Indian soil at Cochin.

For more information about APL IndiaLinx™, please visit www.aplindialinx.com.