Pharmaceutical exporters to benefit from Maersk’s first dedicated reefer rail service from Hyderabad to Mumbai
Mumbai / Hyderabad: Maersk has launched a dedicated weekly reefer rail service linking Hyderabad’s pharmaceutical manufacturing hub with Nhava Sheva port. Developed in collaboration with Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), the service is designed to meet the pharmaceutical industry’s demand for a dependable, temperature-controlled transportation solution with lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to road transport.
Tailored specifically for pharmaceutical exporters in Hyderabad, the service operates on a fixed weekly schedule using 40-foot refrigerated containers. Each shipment includes pre-trip inspection (PTI) compliance and carefully selected containers aligned with quality standards. Several major pharmaceutical manufacturers in the city have already adopted the service, while more companies are currently in the onboarding process.
The Hyderabad–Nhava Sheva reefer rail corridor provides an integrated end-to-end cold chain solution, ensuring uninterrupted temperature-controlled logistics from origin to destination. Through a single-window system, Maersk manages inland rail transportation, ocean freight, and shipment visibility throughout the supply chain journey.
The service supports export routes to destinations including the East Coast ports of Newark, Norfolk, Charleston, and Savannah, as well as markets in Latin America, Europe, and other reefer trade regions. In addition, Maersk will assist pharmaceutical exporters with documentation, compliance support, cold-chain advisory services, and last-mile trucking solutions at destination when required.
India is central to Maersk’s global growth ambitions, and we are committed to building logistics infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of the Indian industry. The pharmaceutical sector demands that cargo be moved with precision, reliability, and accountability at every step of the supply chain. This rail service is our answer to that demand. This solution would not have been possible without the steadfast support of CONCOR, whose partnership has been instrumental in making this corridor a reality. Together, we are setting a new benchmark for pharmaceutical logistics in India.
- Thomas Theeuwes, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia
The scheduled rail service is designed to enhance pharmaceutical logistics by offering reliable vessel connections, dedicated equipment availability, and priority cargo handling. Compared to road transportation, which is often affected by traffic congestion, driver fatigue, and delays related to compliance checks, the rail solution provides greater consistency and operational efficiency.
Based on current shipment volume estimates, transitioning cargo movement from road to rail could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 3,000 tonnes annually. The environmental benefits are expected to grow further as transport volumes increase, supporting Maersk’s ambition to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2040.
CONCOR is committed to enabling the growth of the Indian industry through world-class logistics infrastructure. Our collaboration with Maersk on this dedicated reefer rail corridor from Hyderabad reflects the confidence in rail as a reliable and efficient mode of transport for high-value, sensitive cargo. This is a significant step in strengthening India’s pharmaceutical export competitiveness, and we look forward to scaling this model further in partnership with industry.
- Sanjay Swarup, CMD CONCOR