Russia’s FESCO Transport Group has increased the carrying capacity of its FESCO Indian Line West (FIL-W) container service by almost 20%, strengthening maritime connectivity between Russia, India, the Middle East and the Red Sea region.
The capacity enhancement follows the deployment of a significantly larger container vessel on the route, replacing one of the smaller ships previously in service. Earlier, the line was operated by the FESCO EKATERINA (1,043 TEU), FESCO YANINA (962 TEU) and FESCO ASKOLD (1,080 TEU). The newly introduced vessel has already commenced operations and is currently on its maiden voyage, sailing from Jebel Ali in the UAE to Novorossiysk with imported cargo.
In addition to the new vessel, two other FESCO container ships with a combined capacity exceeding 2,000 TEU continue to serve the FIL-W route, ensuring stable and increased service capacity.
Launched in 2023, the FESCO Indian Line West connects the Russian port of Novorossiysk with key ports in India—Nhava Sheva and Mundra—as well as Jebel Ali in the UAE and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The service has shown steady growth. In 2025, container volumes on the line exceeded 19,000 TEU, marking a 16% increase compared to 2024. Export shipments reached around 8,000 TEU, up 3%, while import volumes rose sharply to more than 11,000 TEU, reflecting a 23% year-on-year increase.
The expanded capacity is expected to further support growing trade flows between Russia, South Asia and the Middle East, while improving service reliability for customers across the corridor.