A weekly cold-chain rail corridor from the pharmaceutical hub of Hyderabad to the Nhava Sheva Port will deliver predictable logistics while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 3,000 tonnes annually.
Maersk recently flagged off a dedicated weekly reefer rail service connecting Hyderabad’s pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster to Nhava Sheva port. Designed in close partnership with CONCOR (Container Corporation of India), the solution addresses a long-standing industry need for a reliable, temperature-controlled, and lower Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions mode of transport as compared to road transport.
The service is purpose-built for Hyderabad’s pharmaceutical exporters and operates on a fixed weekly schedule, transporting 40-foot refrigerated containers (reefers). Pre-trip inspection (PTI) compliance and quality-aligned container selection are built into every shipment. Several of the city’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers are already on board, with additional customers in active onboarding.
Unbroken cold chain from origin to destination through integrated logistics
The Hyderabad–Nhava Sheva reefer rail corridor operates as a true end-to-end cold chain. Under a single-window arrangement, Maersk assumes responsibility across inland rail, ocean freight, and shipment visibility throughout the journey.
The service is designed to serve export lanes, including North America’s East Coast ports (Newark, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah), Latin America, Europe, and other reefer trade destinations. Maersk will also support pharmaceutical exporters with documentation, compliance assistance, cold-chain advisory engagement and, if required, last-mile trucking at the destination.
Thomas Theeuwes, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia, commented at the flag-off ceremony, “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.” He added, “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.”
Transforming pharmaceutical logistics through an array of benefits
The scheduled rail service will provide reliable vessel loading, dedicated equipment allocation, and priority handling. This would be a welcome change compared to road transport, which has inherent variability stemming from factors such as traffic conditions, driver fatigue, and compliance-related stoppage delays.
Based on current volume projections, the shift from road to rail is estimated to reduce GHG emissions by about 3,000 tonnes over a period of one year. These savings will scale up as volumes increase, contributing towards Maersk’s Net Zero 2040 targets.
Sanjay Swarup, CMD CONCOR, said, “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.”
