It is reported that Congestion has hit Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust again the number of import containers awaiting evacuation being more 14,000 TEUs with another 1,000 TEUs awaiting Customs clearance.

Predictably, the authorities of the port have sought immediate intervention of the Container Corporation of India.

Port authorities stated in a communiqué to Concor that “While we understand the imbalance between imports and exports at this stage, Concor could have averted this congestion by interacting with shipping lines continuously to envisage the flow of cargo well in advance as the port has no role in nomination of import containers to a particular inland depot.”

Concor sources point out that the present congestion, as, has been thrown up by a mismatch with imports exceeding exports. The average daily loading of import containers by Concor at JNPT is about 18 to 19 trains against the arrival of 14 to 15 trains of exports. In the first 2 months of the current fiscal year, imports totaled 131,000 TEUs and exports 89,700 TEUs.

The spokesman said “We’re being required to move 4 to 5 rakes of the empties a day into JNPT and it costs.”

Spokesman said “Yet there is a tendency to blame only Concor for the congestion problem and this is unfortunate, more so when there are 15 other operators.”

(Sourced from www.cargonewsasia.com)