Automobile companies Maruti Udyog and Tata Motors are set to export their vehicles from the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) from June. 
 
"The two companies have confirmed that they will be using the port to export their cars and this will start sometime in June. This is a new type of cargo that we have identified as part of our efforts to meet the challenges posed by competition," said Saroj Tahiliani, secretary, MbPT. 
 
Maruti Udyog is expected to export 60,000 vehicles this fiscal, while Tata Motors may export 30,000 units. 
 
In the case of Maruti, the company will be exporting its entire range of cars including the Maruti 800, Zen and WagonR to Europe. 
 
Tata Motors will be exporting the Indica to M G Rover of the United Kingdom. The two companies have signed a deal under which the UK firm will outsource 100,000 Indica over five years. These cars will be sold under the brand name City Rover in the UK. 
 
MBPT is expecting to earn Rs 11 crore (Rs 110 million) as wharfage from the two companies. Maruti has also set up a pre-despatch investment unit in the port premises which till last year was using the Jawaharlal Nehru Port across the harbour. 
 
Meanwhile, MbPT has approached the directorate general foreign trade for notifying it as a designated port for car imports. At present this status is enjoyed by the Jawaharlal Nehru, Chennai, and Kolkata ports and the Inland Container Depot at Tughlakabad near Delhi and the Delhi Air Cargo Complex. 
 
"At present individuals in India can import cars. If this permission comes through then even companies can import cars through the port. We are at present in discussions with Honda asking them to use the port," Tahiliani said. 
 
MbPT has been continuously trying to attract new types of cargo after traffic started falling in the mid-nineties. Last year the port's exports paid off with traffic growing by 11.8 per cent to 29.96 million tonne from 26.80 million tonne in the previous year. 
 
The port trust has set a target of 31 million tonne in the current fiscal.