Maruti Suzuki India is starting its first exports from the Port of Mundra in Gujarat, India from January 2009. The first vehicle to be exported will be the hatchback A-Star.
The carmaker has been working with Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone (MPSEZ) to set up a dedicated car terminal to handle the exports. Combined investment in the terminal is Rs. 100 crore ($21.1m).
The investment includes a fast track ro-ro berth, a PDI centre spread over 7,500m2, and more than 14 hectares of vehicle storage. There is also a dedicated buffer area for cars to be parked before loading.
Maruti plans to export 200,000 of the A-Star model by 2010/11. Finished vehicle carrier contracts have not yet been announced.
The A-Star features a Euro-V compliant engine, which the carmaker is hoping will boost its appeal in Europe and the US. The next generation of KB-series engines has recently gone into production at the company’s Gurgaon plant, with the annual production target set at 240,000.