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CONCOR's TRAIN WITH EXPORT CONTAINERS REACHES MARG KARAIKAL PORT

~MARG Karaikal Port emerges as a major decongestion point for easing container traffic congestion in Chennai and Tuticorin~

~ MARG Karaikal Port gets customs permission to be a 'transhipment port' for addressing container related congestion at Chennai and Tuticorin ~

Karaikal, October 19 2011: Karaikal Port Private Limited, a subsidiary of Chennai headquartered MARG Limited, one of the India's fastest growing infrastructure companies, took a major step towards becoming the new container trade gateway to Central Tamil Nadu as the first container train from CONCOR reached MARG Karaikal Port. The train, operated by the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) was carrying containers loaded from CONCOR's facility at Tondiarpet, Chennai and destined for various overseas locations to be shipped out via MARG Karaikal Port. This development will help MARG Karaikal Port reduce container traffic congestion at the Chennai and Tuticorin Ports.

The arrival of the train marked the beginning of regular container train services at MARG Karaikal Port linking the port to CONCOR's wide network of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and Container Freight Stations (CFSs) across the hinterland.

As per shipping sources, those entities conducting import-export trade in the hinterland, which previously used Chennai and Tuticorin, have now started looking for alternatives for diverting their containers since their volumes have increased tremendously and the existing container gateway ports are running at full capacity.

At this juncture, CONCOR's first container train service, which has reached MARG Karaikal Port, will help to ease the container traffic congestion from the existing container gateway ports.

Speaking on the occasion, GRK Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, MARG Limited said, "MARG Karaikal port is fast emerging as the new Gateway to Central Tamil Nadu. The launch of container train services will help the import-export trade in the hinterland to overcome the challenges created by the distant location of the existing container gateway ports and ease the high traffic congestion prevailing in Chennai and Tuticorin. The port's single-window model with customer centric operating philosophy would also eliminate additional delays and costs currently associated with the container trade. The launch of regular container train services by CONCOR would provide customers in the region with an important port connectivity option and enable them to effectively and efficiently utilize the many benefits that MARG Karaikal Port offers them. "

Customs have permitted the use of MARG Karaikal port as a transhipment port for the trade in Chennai and Tuticorin. In view of the severe congestion and related issues in Chennai and Tuticorin, the trade has been facing delays in clearing the import laden boxes from the port. Export laden boxes were officially not accepted in Chennai port between 14th and 17th of October. The permission to use MARG Karaikal Port as a transhipment port would enable the trade to start using Karaikal and clear their in/outbound containers without delays.

The port's excellent road and rail links connect it to important trade and industry hubs in the hinterland areas and provide multiple transportation options for containers moving in and out of the port. MARG Karaikal Port boasts of a full suite of capable equipment for handling containers including three Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes, Reach Stackers and other associated equipment. The port has also invested in dedicated support infrastructure for container handling, including sufficient open storage areas and warehouse spaces.

By utilizing a state-of-the-art container handling port situated in close proximity to their own industrial facilities, the importers and exporters in Central Tamil Nadu and beyond can gain competitive and strategic advantages over their competitors elsewhere through reductions in factors such as logistics time, inland haulage costs and truck detention times.

MARG Karaikal Port's strategic location close to the economically vibrant Central Tamil Nadu region and the ready availability of vital resources such as ample land and manpower provide a compelling combination for the development of an industrial hub and keeping this in mind, the port has taken on an active role in promoting and facilitating investments by port based industries in and around Karaikal. As part of these efforts, MARG Karaikal Port assists potential investors in the selection of plant location, development of support facilities and transport links to the port.

About MARG Karaikal Port:

MARG Karaikal Port is a premier, deepwater, all-weather port on the south east coast of India. The port has a sizable hinterland because of its strategic location. It is the only all weather, deep water, multi-commodity port between Chennai and Tuticorin and is strategically located in the middle of this 680 km of coastline.

Awarded under BOT basis by the Government of Puducherry in 2006, MARG Karaikal Port when fully developed is envisaged to have a total of 9 berths capable of handling upto 50 MMTPA. The port is to be developed over 3 phases with the final phase expected to become operational by 2016. MARG Karaikal Port has shown its versatility by handling different types of cargo such as coal, fertilizer, cement, raw sugar, project cargo, gypsum, containers, steel pipes, scarp, bagged sugar and construction material. Capacity to handle large vessels and diverse cargo, single window clearance, E2E logistics, state-of-the-art equipment and an ideal location are the hallmarks of MARG Karaikal Port.

About MARG:

MARG Limited (BSE: 530543), incorporated in 1994 and headquartered in Chennai, is an infrastructure, real estate development and services company. The Company is listed on BSE and MSE and its shares are traded on the NSE under the category of 'Permitted Security'. The holistic regional development undertaken by the group is unlocking economic prosperity and creating inclusive and sustainable growth models.

With nearly two decades of reassuring presence and the credit of pioneering the development of economic growth centers, MARG's portfolio spans across the entire infrastructure value chain - urban and industrial infrastructure, urban residential clusters, marine infrastructure and services, malls and EPC division. The group is on an expansion mode in various sectors such as airport projects in Bellary and Bijapur, multi-level car park projects and fishing harbor at Mahe. Listed by Dun & Bradstreet among "India's Top 500 Companies 2010", MARG Group currently has nationally prestigious projects worth approximately Rs. 3000 crores under execution including the building of marine and cooling structures for the Bhavnagar Electricity Corporation, a seasoned human capital of approximately 1000 personal, global partners in the infra space and offices spread across India, Singapore and China. The MARG CSR brand – MARG Parivarthan complements these business verticals. More information regarding MARG is available at http://www.marggroup.com

About CONCOR:

Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR), was incorporated in March 1988 under the Companies Act, and commenced operation from November 1989 taking over the existing network of 7 ICDs from the Indian Railways. it is now a leading container company having the largest network of 61 ICDs/CFSs in India. In addition to providing inland transport by rail for containers, it has also expanded to cover management of Ports, air cargo complexes and establishing cold-chain. The company developed multimodal logistics support for India's International and Domestic containerization and trade. Though rail is the main stay of the company's transportation plan, road services are also provided to cater to the needs of door-to-door services, whether in the international or domestic business. More information regarding CONCOR is available at http://www.concorindia.com

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