OOCL unveils its brand new Southeast Asia South Asia SIS2 route which officially commenced its maiden voyage on June 4 with fixed weekly sailings. The new route fills the gap of stable shipping capacity from South China Beibu Gulf and northern Vietnam directly to India’s west coast, offering a reliable shipping option for forwarders engaged in import and export business between India Pakistan region and Vietnam.

Port Rotation

Qinzhou — Yangpu — Haiphong — Singapore — Mundra — Singapore — Hong Kong — Qinzhou

Core Advantages of the SIS2 Route

1. Exclusive direct service from Beibu Gulf and northern Vietnam to India’s west coast

Cargo can be shipped directly from Qinzhou, Yangpu and Haiphong without transshipment or detours, significantly cutting transit time. The route perfectly caters to shipping demands of factories in Guangxi and Hainan as well as industrial and trade enterprises in northern Vietnam. As the core gateway port of Gujarat state in India, Mundra features a sound inland railway network enabling efficient delivery across northwest India. Compared with Nhava Sheva port, Mundra suffers less congestion and delivers higher customs clearance efficiency.

2. Dual hub transshipment via Hong Kong and Singapore

With calls at two major transshipment hubs Hong Kong and Singapore, the route supports convenient cargo transshipment to destinations across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It serves multiple purposes with a single bill of lading, meeting both direct shipping needs for India-bound cargo and diversion demands for fragmented Southeast Asian cargo.

3. Expanded OOCL service network for India west coast routes

Complementing the existing SIS Southeast Asia South Asia main line, the new route increases the frequency of OOCL’s India west coast services. It greatly improves shipping capacity flexibility during peak seasons, effectively solving the industry pain points of insufficient capacity and container rolling issues in peak shipping periods.

Priority Customer Groups for the New Route

Foreign trade factories in Guangxi (Qinzhou Yangpu) and Hainan with export cargo bound for all regions of India

Factories around Haiphong Vietnam with cargo shipments to Gujarat and inland areas of northwest India

FCL and LCL cargo requiring transshipment to Southeast Asia and the Middle East via Hong Kong and Singapore

Practical Tips for Freight Forwarders

1. Optimize quotation solutions

For customers who previously shipped goods to India via Shenzhen or Shanghai transshipment, prioritize recommending the new SIS2 service departing from Qinzhou, Yangpu and Haiphong. By comparing ocean freight and inland trucking costs, forwarders can help customers save part of domestic short-haul transportation expenses.

2. Sufficient maiden voyage capacity with favorable pricing

Shipping lines usually offer competitive pricing to attract cargo for new route launches. With abundant capacity available for the maiden voyage, forwarders can actively engage existing customers with India west coast shipping demands to place trial orders and lock in favorable rates.

3. Clarify destination scope in advance

This route provides direct calls only at Mundra Port. For cargo destined for southern and eastern India, forwarders shall confirm transshipment fees in advance and specify transshipment clauses in quotations to avoid subsequent cost disputes.

The launch of the SIS2 route makes up for the lack of direct shipping services from Beibu Gulf to India, adding a stable weekly shipping option for cargo shipments from South China and northern Vietnam to the India Pakistan region. Enterprises with upcoming India-bound shipping plans are advised to lock in shipping capacity in advance.