APM Terminals Pipavav, one of western India’s fastest growing gateway ports, has commenced a new weekly double stack rail service to the industrial center in Faridabad in north India's Haryana State, near New Delhi.

The dedicated double stack operations, which can efficiently carry two containers placed one on top of another in specially designed rail cars, will be operated in association with Gateway Rail and NYK India.  

Known as 'Sakura II', the service will operate between Pipavav Port and ICD-Faridabad (Piyala)/ICD-Garhi Harsaru, covering a distance of 1,015 km (630 miles) exclusively for Japanese NYK Shipping Line.

The existing Sakura I dedicated double stack rail service, is operated by NYK exclusively for containers being imported by Maruti Suzuki India, the company said.
 
Commenting on the occasion, Keld Pedersen, MD of APM Terminals Pipavav said, ''We are very pleased with this partnership with NYK Line, and Gateway Rail, providing fast, consistent Just-In-Time cargo delivery, while reducing transportation costs, pollution and roadway congestion through dedicated double stack rail service.''
 
Pipavav Port is currently moving block trains between Garhi Harsaru and Pipavav and between Ludhiana and Pipavav.

Shares of the company gained Rs 3.4, or 2.13%, to trade at Rs 163. The total volume of shares traded was 42,716 at the BSE (1.03 p.m., Tuesday).