Arkas reefer block train connects Modinagar with Mundra.

Summary

Arkas Line has flagged off its first refrigerated container block train from DP World’s ICD Modinagar to Mundra Port. The movement strengthens rail-based cold-chain connectivity for northern India’s exporters, building on earlier reefer train operations and linking inland cargo handling with ocean shipping through the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

The new movement strengthens refrigerated cargo links

The Arkas reefer block train has departed from DP World-operated Inland Container Depot Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh, adding a dedicated refrigerated movement to the facility’s port connections.

Arkas Line is represented by Parekh Marine Services, part of Parekh Global. The initiative, reported on 13 October 2026, connects the inland depot with Mundra Port in Gujarat via the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

The flag-off was attended by Tumay Ulutas, Country Head of Arkas Line; Kaushik Datta Sharma, CEO of the Liner Division; and Rajat Pathak, Regional Head for North India at Parekh Global.

The announcement did not specify the inaugural shipment’s commodity mix, container count, transit time or a recurring service frequency. Its immediate significance is the first dedicated reefer block-train departure from Modinagar, rather than confirmation of a scheduled weekly product.

Modinagar serves a broad northern hinterland

The inland depot’s location gives the movement relevance beyond Modinagar itself. DP World identifies Delhi, Ghaziabad, Sahibabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Roorkee, Haridwar and Bijnor among the industrial centres served by the terminal.

Situated on NH-58, the facility also provides access for industries in Uttarakhand. Its connections include NH-24 and NH-1, alongside the Delhi–Meerut railway line and Delhi–Saharanpur section.

This combination enables road collection from manufacturing and distribution centres followed by consolidated rail movement towards gateway ports. For refrigerated cargo, the inland terminal becomes a point at which container handling, rail dispatch and subsequent port delivery must be coordinated.

Modinagar is also part of DP World’s SARAL network, which combines rail transport with first- and last-mile fulfilment. The terminal offers warehousing and IT-enabled cargo systems supporting domestic and international supply chains.

Arkas builds on earlier reefer operations

The Modinagar departure follows previous Arkas reefer train initiatives in India. In May 2026, the company flagged off three reefer block trains from three inland container depots on 8, 9 and 11 May.

An earlier double-stack reefer train operated from Dadri to Mundra on 16 August 2025.

These developments show the progression of Arkas’s refrigerated rail activity across inland gateways. The commercial objective is to connect temperature-sensitive cargo with port and vessel operations through coordinated inland transport, rather than treating the rail journey as a separate logistics leg.

Earlier Hyderabad service illustrates the operating model

A separate DP World initiative provides background on how refrigerated rail services can be organised. In October 2025, the company launched a dedicated reefer connection from Thimmapur ICD near Hyderabad to Nhava Sheva with Ocean Network Express.

That service was designed for pharmaceutical exporters and announced as a weekly operation carrying up to 43 forty-foot containers per train.

DP World specified powerpacks to maintain container temperatures during the journey, with technicians accompanying trains and communicating with ground teams to monitor conditions. Consolidating shipments into one departure was intended to align inland arrival with vessel schedules.

Those arrangements belong to the Hyderabad service and have not been confirmed for the Modinagar movement. Nevertheless, they illustrate the combination of power supply, monitoring and scheduling required to make refrigerated rail transport useful to exporters. DP World India

Wider rail investment supports port connectivity

The latest departure sits within DP World’s broader development of rail and inland logistics in India.

In December 2024, the company announced a third railway line at Pali-Rewari in Haryana, intended to increase the terminal’s monthly train-handling capacity by 25%. At that time, DP World reported investment exceeding ₹1,800 crore in rail infrastructure and operations.

Its Pali terminal links cargo with Mundra, Pipavav, Hazira and Nhava Sheva, using the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and double-stack operations. The company has also developed routes combining rail, coastal shipping and road transport.

For northern India’s refrigerated exporters, the Modinagar departure adds another practical example of inland-to-port consolidation. Its longer-term commercial value will depend on dependable departures, temperature integrity and coordination with ocean-service cut-offs as cargo demand develops.

FAQs

Where does the train operate?

From DP World’s ICD Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh to Mundra Port in Gujarat.

Which corridor does it use?

The movement operates via the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

Who represents Arkas Line in India?

Parekh Marine Services, part of Parekh Global.

Has a regular frequency been announced?

The available announcement does not specify a recurring schedule.

Was this Arkas’s first reefer train in India?

No. It was the first reefer block train from Modinagar; Arkas had previously operated refrigerated trains from other inland depots.