Congestion at JNPT, Nhava Sheva hurts exports

Acute congestion at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) which led to the two being shut to cargo traffic for two weeks, could be resolved by the handling agency resorting to road transport as announced ten days back by Concor.

The Confederation of Export Units (CEU), a body that represents 100 per cent export-oriented units (1,700 in number) in the country, has sought immediate steps to alleviate the logjam.

Says Subhash Khandelwal of Technocraft Industries India Ltd, "The problem has become so acute that I have currently 100 containers of a garment consignment lying at my Murbad factory premises since the JNPT and NSICT are not in a position to accept any fresh containers. Concor, the handling agency under the Union Railway ministry, announced 10 days back that it would move 5,000 teus (containers) by road to ease the problem. This has yet to happen. Indian exporters, especially from perishables and garments sectors are suffering huge losses as well as high penalties imposed for failing to meet their export obligations."

Seeking an immediate solution, Khandelwal said that the port authorities should immediately move the containers lying in the port to an open area located close by and declare it as a bonded area since existing bonded areas are full.

"Secondly, NSICT should not allow any vessel to take berth with import cargoes for at least two weeks till the situation improves. More importantly, the import cargoes of north Indian container depots should be directed to other ports such as Pipavav or Dadri," Khandelwal said.

According to the CEU release issued here, "As of September 25, the NSICT has a total inventory of 18,019 teus (containers) in addition to three vessels discharging in the port which is way beyond the storage and handling capacity of the yard."

Despite promises by Concor of increasing the number of rakes for transporting containers by rail to 16 per day, only 11 such rakes are available, the exporters' association points out.