Container Train

Retailers, manufacturers and other industries that rely on massive box ships are again battling surging rates, port backups and shortages of empty containers

Rail ministry says the reduced rates of 15% per twenty-feet equivalent unit (TEU) for empty containers and empty flat wagons, as against the earlier 25%, will apply till July 31

The resolution of land licence fee however remains the key trigger

Railways has conducted a successful trial run of double stacked dwarf container train from Mehsana in Gujarat to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, a release said on Thursday. The train with five wagons of double-stacked dwarf containers arrived the Port on Thursday at 11:30 am and departed at 1 pm, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust ( (JNPT) said in the release. 'Dwarf' containers provides 67 per cent higher volume when double-stacked and can carry a weight of 71 tons, against 40 tons by an ISO container, it said. The government-run port operator also said that "it is in the process of finalising an operator for 'management, maintenance and operations of a dedicated dwarf container depot (D-Depot) inside the Port area". Indian Railways has given 17 per cent discount on haulage cost for double stack dwarf container trains compared to double stack ISO container trains coupled with additional volume benefit, JNPT said. At the D-Depot ISO containers for exports and imports will be destuffed/restuffed

One train carries 360 10-feet container equivalent units (TEU), which is equivalent to 270 high capacity trailer trucks

Joint venture to invest Rs 100 cr initially for licence procurement, buying container trains