Correspondent | The News Bulletins
A pioneering solution that moves cargo from road to rail while providing assured vessel connectivity, strengthening the pharma export supply chain
Hyderabad, India – 4 October 2025 –DP World has launched first dedicated reefer rail freight service from Thimmapur, Hyderabad to Nhava Sheva (JNPA), in collaboration with Ocean Network Express (ONE). This solution has enabled the first-ever refrigerated rail movement from DP World Thimmapur ICD to Nhava Sheva, providing a customized logistics offering for the region’s pharmaceutical exporters. By shifting cargo from road to rail, the service ensures vessel connectivity while maintaining stable temperatures which is critical to preserving the efficacy and potency of pharmaceutical products.
By consolidating cargo in a single train, rail ensures the entire volume reaches the port together, aligned with vessel schedules. This level of assured connectivity is harder to achieve through road, where cargo arrives in smaller, staggered lots. The new weekly service can carry up to 43 forty-feet containers in a single train. With four scheduled services per month, DP World can shift more than 172 containers from road to rail, helping to reduce road congestion which is equivalent to reducing 43 trucks on road per day.
Each container is supported by DP World’s proprietary powerpacks that maintain precise temperature control throughout the journey ensuring the potency and effectiveness by maintaining a stable. A combination of human expertise and digital intervention ensures cargo integrity and security, with dedicated technicians accompanying every train and staying digitally connected with ground teams to monitor conditions in real time.
Adhendru Jain, Vice President – Rail and Inland Terminals, DP World Subcontinent, said: “This new reefer rail freight service, provides Hyderabad’s pharmaceutical exporters with a reliable and efficient alternative to road transport. By moving entire train directly to port, it provides integrated cold chain advantage, assured vessel connectivity and secure cargo movement throughout the journey. The shift to rail also reduces carbon emissions, creating a more sustainable model for pharma businesses. At DP World our endeavor has been to provide market access through integrated”
Masahiro Sakikubo, Managing Director, Ocean Network Express (India) Private Limited said, “Ocean Network Express India is proud to collaborate with DP World on Hyderabad’s first seamless, hassle-free reefer rail service. This partnership allows us to offer exporters sustainable, direct and dependable connection with fixed cut-off times and schedules between inland production hubs and our ocean network. Moving cargo by rail reduces the risks of delays on the road and ensures timely vessel connections. This collaboration demonstrates how rail–sea integration can improve efficiency for exporters and strengthen India’s position in global trade.”
Schedule Day / Time
ICD Thimmapur CY Cut Off Tue, 1800 Hrs
Train Departure ICD Thimmapur Wed, 1000 Hrs
Train Arrival Nhava Sheva Sat, 1000 Hrs
This launch reinforces DP World’s commitment to enabling trade from India’s pharma hub and building resilient, future-ready supply chains that serve both national priorities and global demand.
The service is expected to cut carbon emissions by up to 70% compared to road transport. For Telangana, where Hyderabad is recognized as the country’s pharmaceutical hub, the service supports state efforts to strengthen multimodal logistics with sustainable solutions now available for businesses. By reducing operational risks and eliminating incidental costs linked to delays, the service also aligns with the government’s agenda of improving ease of doing business and building more sustainable transport networks.
DP World is one of the largest private rail freight operators in the country, with eight inland rail terminals, over 100 owned container rakes, SFTO rakes, and more than 16,000 containers and trailers, unlocking faster, cleaner, and more reliable trade route. These assets, combined with integrated warehousing and digital monitoring systems, position DP World to support sectors that require refrigerated cargo connectivity between Hyderabad and Nhava Sheva, in both directions.