ONE Moves OOG Cargo From Sri Lanka to Rotterdam on IOX Service

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Ocean Network Express has moved a specialized out-of-gauge shipment from Sri Lanka to North Europe, loading the cargo at the Port of Colombo aboard the ONE READINESS for carriage to the Port of Rotterdam.

The shipment used ONE’s Indian Ocean Express, or IOX, service, which links India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan with North Europe. ONE launched the service in 2024 to expand direct coverage between the Indian subcontinent and Europe, with Colombo also serving cargo from East India and Bangladesh.

The IOX rotation includes Karachi, Hazira, Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Colombo, London Gateway, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp, operating via the Cape of Good Hope amid Red Sea security concerns.

Out-of-gauge cargo does not fit standard container dimensions, so each move depends on stowage planning, securing, port coordination and equipment availability. In simple terms, it is not just another box in the stack. One wrong assumption on height, width or lifting points can quickly become a berth, crane or safety issue.

ONE said the shipment was handled safely and efficiently by its teams and partners, positioning the move as part of its wider project cargo and OOG offering.

For Rotterdam, the cargo underlines the port’s role as a North European entry point for non-standard freight moving on container services. For Colombo, it reinforces the port’s function as a relay point between South Asia and long-haul European trades.

The move also shows how container lines are using established liner networks to capture more project and breakbulk-linked cargo. While heavy lift carriers remain central for large industrial parcels, liner operators can be attractive when cargo dimensions, schedules and port pairs fit the service.

The ONE READINESS call therefore matters less as a single shipment and more as a sign of how shippers are looking for reliable slots, predictable routing and direct access into North Europe at a time when routing decisions remain shaped by security risk and schedule pressure.