New Coastal Container Shipping Service to Connect Karaikal with KKS and Trincomalee from September

The weekly service will be operated by Chennai-based Connect Maritime LLP, with IndSri Ferry Services Lanka Pvt. Ltd. serving as the Sri Lankan agent. The service is designed to provide both Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL) transportation, offering importers and exporters a reliable short-sea shipping option across the Palk Strait.   The operations will be carried out using the M/V Beypore Sultan, a vessel built in 2023 with a cargo carrying capacity of 1,600 metric tonnes and the ability to transport 81 TEUs. The vessel will operate on a seven-day rotation schedule, connecting Karaikal, KKS and Trincomalee.   According to the initial sailing programme, the first weekly voyage from Karaikal to Kankesanthurai is scheduled for September 1, 2026, with regular weekly sailings planned through the end of December to ensure uninterrupted connectivity.

Under the commercial terms announced by the operator, freight charges will range between USD 650 and USD 675 per container, with advance payment required before shipment. Container Freight Station (CFS) operations will be handled through Pondicherry, while importers will benefit from a three-day demurrage-free period.

Ahead of the official launch, a stakeholder awareness programme was organised in Jaffna, where importers, exporters, freight forwarders and logistics stakeholders were briefed on the service schedule, operational procedures and commercial arrangements. The new coastal shipping link is expected to improve cargo connectivity between South India and Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka, offering a dedicated maritime logistics corridor for regional trade. Industry observers believe the service will reduce transit times and logistics costs while supporting the movement of industrial goods, agricultural products, construction materials and other commercial cargo between the two countries.    

The initiative is also expected to complement growing efforts by India and Sri Lanka to enhance regional maritime connectivity and strengthen bilateral trade through efficient coastal shipping services.