Pile-up of scrap to add to congestion at JNPT

The pile up of heavy metal scrap at the Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal is likely to lead to increased congestion this year.

Container operators at the terminal claim there is already a 10 per cent overutilisation of capacity at the port, which is causing a 4-6 hour delay in the clearing of trucks.

On an average, heavy metal scrap accounts for 4,000-5,000 TEU of the total arrivals. Since it is bulky, it occupies considerable storage space.

D Shorekar, president, Nhava Sheva Container Operators' Association, said: "One of the major reasons for the delay is the pile up of heavy metal scrap at the port."

The unavailability of railway wagons to transport this scrap is adding to the port's troubles. "The cargo is bound mainly for Ludhiana which can take about 2.5 train loads a day but the incoming HMS is to the tune of 4-5 train loads a day. This, coupled with the paucity of railway engines in summer, results is piling up of cargo, which adds to the congestion".

Most of the imports of HMS to the country are through Nhava Sheva.The port authorities had last week lifted the restriction imposed earlier this month on heavy metal scrap (HMS). The restriction had been initially imposed to curb the lengthening turn-around time at the port owing to heavy arrivals.

The terminal expects to cover cargo worth 1.3 million TEU (twenty feet equivalent units) this fiscal.

Sources say congestion this year can be lessened if the dearth of railway engines is tackled. The poor state of the approach road to the port is also a major issue. Add to this trucks wanting to jump the queue, the sources said.

The tightening of security measures, after the unearthing of explosive materials last month, too is contributing to the delay, said Shorekar.

"The beefing up of security is causing a delay of 4-5 hours in clearing the trucks. Earlier we were able to do 4-5 trips in a day but that has come down to one or two," he said. He pointed out that vessel discharge too has come down.