T.S. Lines Adds Hazira to China–West India Network: Why It Matters

Hazira has taken another step towards becoming a more important container gateway for western India.

On 5–6 August 2026, T.S. Lines’ ESL Dachan Bay made its maiden call at Hazira under the CWX2 (China–West India Express 2) service and handled 3,103 TEUs.

The service connects major Chinese ports — Shanghai, Ningbo and Shekou — with Nhava Sheva, Hazira and Mundra, with Port Klang also forming part of the rotation. The published service rotation is 42 days.

For Hazira, this is more than another vessel call. It strengthens the port’s position within the international liner network and gives exporters and importers in Gujarat and the wider western and central Indian hinterland another direct China connectivity option.

Hazira has traditionally been strongly associated with industrial cargo, but its container business has been growing. Its location close to Gujarat's industrial and manufacturing base, together with road and rail connectivity towards the wider hinterland, gives it a natural advantage in attracting container cargo.

The development also highlights the growing multi-gateway nature of West India.

Nhava Sheva remains a major container gateway, while Mundra has built a substantial international container network. Hazira's addition to CWX2 means a carrier is now serving all three gateways within the same China–West India service structure.

For shippers, that can mean more routing options. For ports, it means greater competition. For shipping lines, it provides greater flexibility in deploying vessels and balancing cargo across West India.

But the real test starts now.

A maiden call and 3,103 TEUs are encouraging, but the longer-term significance will depend on future vessel calls, cargo volumes, export-import balance, schedule reliability, port turnaround time and whether other carriers follow with additional services.

The bigger story is therefore not simply that T.S. Lines called Hazira for the first time.

It is that Hazira is increasingly being integrated into the mainline container network connecting China's manufacturing centres with India's western industrial hinterland.

If this momentum continues, Hazira could strengthen its position alongside Mundra and Nhava Sheva as an important container gateway for West India.