During the Calendar year 2022, the two major ports in Chennai collectively facilitated the export of almost 3.64 lakh vehicles to various countries, recording an increase of 26% year-on-year.
While Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) exported 2.23 lakh cars, mostly those made by Hyundai Motor India, against 1.65 lakh units in CY21, Kamarajar Port Ltd. (KPL) shipped 1.41 lakh vehicles (1.25 lakh).
The car export volumes from ChPT had crossed the 2,00,000 mark once again, while that of KPL declined from a similar level on back of COVID-19, said a leading logistics provider.
“There has been an increase in car exports from Chennai Port. Some of the automobile firms have signed long-term contracts with us and some are coming up for renewals,”
Sunil Paliwal, chairman, ChPT and CMD of KPL
Adding further he said, that recently Maruti Suzuki signed a pact with KPL to export about 20,000 passenger vehicles annually to various destinations such as Africa, Middle East, Latin America, ASEAN and SAARC regions.
KPL during the year exported 81,0000 Nissan and Renault vehicles, followed by Ford India 28,400, Isuzu Motors 17,400, Daimler India 5,800, Toyota Kirloskar 105 and others 8,000 units.
Hyundai Motor has a long-term contract with ChPT, and exported about 1,45,300 vehicles followed by Kia Motors India 76,910 and Ford India 555 unit.
Once competing against one another in terms of exports, ChPT’s acquisition of KPL and the COVID impact has now changed things. Both the ports are now headed by the same IAS officer.
From January to December, 47 Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) vessels visited ChPT. In the month of December, it handled as many as 26,000 cars.
