Russia's FESCO launches container shipping between Kenya and Novorossiysk

MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax) - FESCO Transportation Group, whose parent company is PJSC Far East Shipping Company (FESCO), has established a marine container service between Novorossiysk and the Kenyan port of Mombasa, the company said.

The first consignment of FESCO containers is already being loaded in Mombasa to ship Kenyan tea to Russia.

Overall transit time between Kenya and Novorossiysk requires around 43 days. The bulk of the export cargo traffic from Russia comprises construction materials, fertilizer, metals, polymers, wood products, and paper and pulp, with tea, coffee, nuts and other agricultural products comprising the bulk of import traffic.

As noted, transporting Russian export cargo as part of the new service will occur through the Indian port of Mundra, with the group's vessels that service the FESCO Indian Line West (FIL-W) marine line between India and Novorossiysk visiting the port regularly. Containers with exports are shipped on the feeder vessels of a FESCO partner from Mundra to Mombasa.

Imported cargo will in turn be shipped from Kenya to Russia via the port of Jebel Ali, the United Arab Emirates, where FESCO container ships have also been making regular calls as part of the FIL-W line since autumn this year, after which they proceed directly to Novorossiysk.