Iran–Israel War: India’s busiest port JNPA clears the decks as relief steps cut stranded containers

The number of containers stranded at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has fallen significantly over the past week as authorities stepped up coordination with exporters, shipping lines and government agencies to manage trade disruptions linked to the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

According to the port authority, the number of stranded containers at JNPA has reduced from around 5,000 TEUs on March 1 to nearly 3,200 TEUs on March 8. Stranded perishable containers have also declined sharply, from around 2,000 to about 1,000 during the same period.

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The improvement comes after the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for all major ports to mitigate the impact of geopolitical disturbances in the Middle East. Following the directive, JNPA set up a dedicated task force to coordinate trade facilitation efforts.

The task force includes the Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Chief General Manager (Traffic) of JNPA and the Deputy Director General from the Directorate General of Shipping.

Shri Girish Thomas, CGM (Traffic), JNPA, has been appointed the single point of contact for coordination and communication related to trade disruptions arising from the evolving situation in the Middle East.

The disruption has affected vessel schedules and export cargo movement to the region, prompting coordinated efforts between port authorities and industry stakeholders.

JNPA Chairman Shri Gaurav Dayal and Deputy Chairman Shri Ravish Kumar Singh have been holding regular consultations with shipping lines, exporters, terminal operators, customs and maritime authorities, along with trade bodies such as BCBA, APEDA, CSLA, MANSA, FFFAI and transporters’ associations to address operational concerns and monitor cargo movement.

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To support exporters and ease congestion at the port, JNPA has introduced several facilitation measures.

These include temporary transshipment storage for Middle East-bound cargo, allocation of additional storage space at terminals where required and the facilitation of ad-hoc vessel calls to move cargo to Middle East ports located east of the Strait of Hormuz, including Fujairah and Khor Fakkan in the UAE, and Sohar, Muscat and Salalah in Oman.

Authorities have also prioritised handling of perishable cargo and export containers returning from the Middle East, while accelerating “Back to Town” (BTT) movement of export containers to ease congestion.

Customs authorities at Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House have introduced a key facilitation measure allowing BTT movement of export cargo even when the Export General Manifest (EGM) has not been filed.

Where container seals remain intact, permissions are being granted after basic verification. Containers at the Container Port Point require only e-seal verification, while those at Container Freight Stations undergo limited inspection linked to the shipping bill. Detailed physical examinations have been waived, and any BTT-related fees or penalties have also been waived.

Following consultations with the Reefer Transporters Association, authorities confirmed that adequate trailers are available to evacuate both refrigerated and other containers requiring BTT movement. This is expected to ensure smooth evacuation of containers from the port, particularly for perishable exports such as bananas, grapes and other products with shorter shelf life.

Speaking on the situation, Shri Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairperson, JNPA, said: “JNPA is closely monitoring the evolving situation and remains fully committed to supporting the EXIM community. We are in constant consultation with the Ministry, Customs authorities, terminal operators and trade stakeholders to explore relief measures that can ease cargo movement and minimise disruption. Our endeavor is to identify practical solutions that support exporters and ensure seamless port operations.”

He added that the reduction in stranded containers reflects the impact of the coordinated efforts undertaken by the port and trade stakeholders.

“Efforts are ongoing to further reduce the number of stranded containers at the earliest possible time,” the port authority said, adding that it remains in close coordination with the ministry, terminal operators, shipping lines and the trade community to ensure smooth cargo movement and continued support to exporters.