Mariana Express Lines (MELL), a subsidiary of Pacific International Lines (PIL), has announced that two of its vessels Kota Dunia and Selatan Damai, made successful maiden calls at the new Tibar Bay Port earlier in September.
PIL considers Asia as a key focus region and its subsidiary is involved in certain niche routes within Asia Pacific. “Timor, with its central location in Asia and proximity to the large Asian market of Indonesia, has immense development potential,” said Tonnie Lim, chief trade officer of PIL.
Over the two-day test phase, from 14 September 2022 to 16 September 2022, the efficiency of the digital operating systems of the terminal shone through as the port handled nearly 1,000 containers on board both ships. With new optimised port call practices, the port call process in the future is expected to be even shorter and more efficient, thereby bringing savings while reducing carbon emissions for shipping lines.
Lee Chin Giaf, general manager of MELL, commented, “MELL has served Timor Leste for over a decade. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to show our commitment to the growth of Timor by deploying two of our vessels to participate in the testing of the country’s new world-class facility.”
