Helsinki, June 27: In a major boost to rail connectivity between Finland and India, the first container block train is set all set to connect Helsinki in Finland with the Nhava Sheva container port in India. The train has already departed from Helsinki on June 21 carrying 32 containers of 40-foot long, full of paper-based products from a Swedish customer. The block train will take eight days in completing the route between Helsinki and Astara, situated at the Azerbaijan-Iran border.

Reports inform that the first block train will travels through Russia and will also cross Azerbaijan. The next stop of the container block train will be Astara and the Bandar Abbas port in Iran. According to a report by railfreight.com, the cargo will be transhipped onto a ship at Bandar Abbas and then it will follow a sea leg through the Indian Ocean until its final station in India. The report further quotes Russia's RZD Logistics, the transit time between Finland and India will not exceed 22 days. Pamban Sea Bridge Connecting Rameswaram to Mainland India to be Equipped With New 'Vertical-Lift Bridge'.

Moreover, the Finnish company is the first-ever logistics operator who has sent a block train from Europe to India via the Western wing of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). INSTC is the 7,200 km long, multi-modal network of ship, rail, and road routes for moving freight between India, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Europe, and Central Asia. The train route is two times faster than the traditional maritime route via Suez Canal.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2021 10:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).