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Japanese auto-maker Nissan Motor India said on Tuesday it has commenced exports of its popular compact car, Nissan Micra, to Europe.
The first major consignment of 3,886 Micra cars left the Ennore Port for European markets on Tuesday, Nissan Motor India said.
The company plans to export the Micra to over 100 countries, including the Middle East and Africa.
In April, the company had made a pilot shipment of six cars to Barcelona from its Oragadam facility near here, which it jointly set up with France auto major Renault at an investment of Rs 4,500 crore (Rs 45 billion).
With the beginning of exports, Nissan has become one of the first companies to use the eastern gateway port of India as an export base, it said.
"It is a defining moment for all of us at Nissan in India as we begin a new chapter of business through the start of exports today.
"This milestone completes our vision of making the Chennai plant a strategic hub for both the domestic market as well as for exports," Nissan Motor India managing director Kiminobu Tokuyama said.
The Japanese auto major expects to export over 110,000 units in the 2010-11 fiscal, it said.
In 2008, Nissan signed a MoU with Ennore Port Ltd to export its vehicles to various countries.
The Ennore Port has provided a special berthing place of 140,000 square metres for parking vehicles and will allow Nissan Motor India to use newly developed marine facilities.
