Pipavav, April 2017 - APM Terminals Pipavav has reached a milestone of 100,000 automobiles handled at the port's Roll On-Roll Off (Ro/Ro) facility, 20 months after commencing auto-loading and discharging operations. Ro/Ro services were introduced at the port in August 2015, after NYK Auto Logistics India (NALI) invested in a state-of-the art stock yard and pre-delivery inspection facility.

Strategically located in Gujarat state in western India, APM Terminals Pipavav is well-placed to serve India's fast-growing automotive industry. India's passenger car exports have grown by 46 per cent over the previous five years to a record 654,000 in 2016. Gujarat is home to manufacturing facilities of such global automotive industry giants as US-based Ford Motor Company and General Motors, Japanese-based Suzuki Motors, and Indian-based Tata Motors.

With USD 3 bn investment expected by automobiles companies in Gujarat by 2020, more than two million passenger vehicles are projected to be produced in the region in the next five to six years. Most of the manufacturing in Gujarat is for the Indian export market.

"With the Indian government's "Make in India" initiative, we have seen a surge in automotive manufacturing investment in the Sanand, Hansalpur and Vithalapur belt in Gujarat, and our modern and efficient Ro/Ro facility can play a major role in India's emergence as a major automotive exporter" said APM Terminals Managing Director Keld Pedersen.

The Pipavav car terminal includes an 80,000 square meter (20 acre) automotive Ro/Ro stockyard, and a 4,400 square meter (one acre) staging area. The car terminal area is leased from Port Pipavav by NALI, which operates the facility and has the ability to process and load 250,000 vehicles annually. APM Terminals Pipavav also handles containers, dry bulk, and liquid bulk cargo operations, with direct double stack rail service to inland commercial and industrial centers.