Direct Container Shipping Between Novorossiysk & Goa Being Discussed

Russia’s Delo Group is discussing the launch of a regular sea container line featuring calls between Novorossiysk Port and Mormugao Port, in Goa, India, according to Delo CEO Sergei Shishkarev. He was speaking on the sidelines of the Transport of Russia 2025 forum.

Mormugao Port ceased container handling several years ago, but the equipment for this exists, Shishkarev said, and he thinks it could be made operational again. Goa is a small Indian west coast state, with a population of about 1.6 million. It is one of India’s wealthiest states, with a GDP (PPP) income close to US$50,000, and is also quite concentrated in its population distribution, with nearly 80% of its population living in urban areas. The tourism sector is vibrant with numerous luxury five-star resorts.

Goa has successfully attracted a growing number of international visitors, particularly from Russia and Central Asia. Direct flight services from cities such as Ekaterinburg, Kazakhstan; Novosibirsk; and Moscow have been established, and October 2025 saw 34 charter flights from these regions alone. These routes have strengthened Goa’s position as a prime destination for global travellers; hence, Delos is interested in both servicing this market and helping Goan producers access Russian markets.

Goa has a somewhat different feel to the rest of India, as it was under Portuguese administration from 1510 until 1987. The state has a unique culture, is mostly Christian, with Portuguese-influenced foods and some of the best beaches in India.

Delo Group operates marine container terminals in the Azov-Black Sea, Baltic, and Far Eastern basins; a network of railway container terminals; and a fleet of containers and well cars. The group’s transportation and logistics division includes the intermodal container operator TransContainer and the multimodal transport operator Ruscon, while its stevedoring division includes DeloPorts and leading container terminal operator Global Ports.