Hyundai, Ford set to resume car exports

Lockdown impacted carmakers’ shipments

Car majors Hyundai Motor and Ford India have sealed a berth each at Chennai and Kamarajar Ports respectively to recommence car exports to destinations across the globe.

While Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), the second largest carmarker in the country, is all set to ship its cars on Tuesday from Chennai Port, Ford India has decided to dispatch cars from mid-June, said two top port officials.

“Hyundai Motor is all set to export 3,600 cars from Chennai Port through the roll-on-roll-off vessel that would berth at our port on Tuesday. The vessel’s next port of call is Hambantota in Sri Lanka. This is the first major activity at our port after the partial lifting of lockdown by the State government,” said P. Raveendran, chairman, Chennai Port Trust.

Currently, Hyundai Motor India is working in two shifts and production would be fully ramped up by June. “We have started producing all types of models. Initially, Verna, Venue, i20, Aura and Nios will be shipped, said Ganesh Mani S., director, HMIL.

According a company official, HMIL had planned to export two lakh units for FY21. But, this would undergo some changes due to the closure of plant for almost 50 days.

Mr. Raveendran said due to the pandemic, Chennai Port had lost 25% of business volume in the April and another 15% during the first 20 days of May. “There is absolutely no congestion in the port. We are receiving and clearing 2,000 trucks per day from both the terminals against 3,800 trucks per day during the normal course of business,” he added.

Echoing similar views, Kamarajar Port CMD Sunil Paliwal said they too had lost 40% of business in the last 50 days. However, there has been some uptick. He attributed the loss in business volume due to lower movement of coal on account of low energy consumption and the onset of windy monsoon.