Maersk Line India has added a new port of call into Kakinada connecting Colombo and onwards connectivity to West Africa and South Africa. Maersk line will serve Kakinada through its Mesawa service, which is a direct weekly service from Jebel Ali, Mundra and Nhava Sheva to South and West Africa. Commenting on this development, Franck Dedenis, managing director, Maersk (India and Sri Lanka) said, “We are excited to announce the addition of Kakinada in the list of our port of call with a fixed vessel schedule. This is a continuation of our belief to be closer to our customers and grow with the market in a profitable manner. By providing our services in Kakinada, we are not only giving customers control of their cargo, but also helping them expand their businesses globally.” At present, no container facility is available at the port. By providing such facilities, Maersk line is helping to create a dynamic business platform. Maersk Line’s container facility will thus allow the traders/Companies in the region to book small parcel size which they have not been able to do so far due to the non availability of container terminal facility at Kakinada. Convenience of stuffing and de-stuffing operations within the port area will promote operational efficiency. Kakinada port is the main gateway port for the rich agricultural belt of East Coast of India. It is a strategic EXIM port. The exports from Kakinada include agricultural products such as rice, sea food, chemicals, oil meals, corn, iron ore, bio-fuel etc. Waste Paper, wood pulp, cashew are some the main items of import.