The meeting discussed rising freight costs, shipping delays, shortage and non-availability of containers and congestion at ports leading to difficulties for exporters.

Due to geopolitical tensions, the Red Sea Crisis, Houthi rebel operations, ongoing wars and its impact on international trade, there is a need to engage with a multidisciplinary team, Goyal emphasised.

The meeting decided to set up a multidisciplinary help desk to support exporters.

The Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has decided to allow empty containers to be stored free for 90 days in the yard at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and has also significantly slashed the loading and handling charges, a release from the ministry of commerce and industry said.

Railway Board chairman Satish Kumar announced that the charges of ₹3,000 (~$35.91) being levied now beyond 90 days has been reduced to ₹1,500. Further, the storage and handling rates will be reduced for containers from ₹9,000 to ₹2,000 for a 40 ft container and from ₹6,000 to ₹1,000 for a 20 ft container.

The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) announced chartering container ships to significantly increase container capacity. Capacity will be enhanced by 9,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) on an immediate basis.

SCI will also buy additional five container ships to further enhance cargo handling capacity. The shipping lines assured that all charges like container transportation and lift on-lift off at yards would be embedded in the delivery order given to shippers.

Capacities of ports have already been enhanced by 2.3 million TEUs. It was decided at the meeting that private container yards will have to mandatorily register themselves with goods and services tax authorities and any charges in cash would not be accepted in cash to stop illegal profiteering arising out of shortage and delay.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh assured that steps have been taken to eliminate congestion and bottlenecks at the port. To enhance export-related processes, traffic delays near and around JNPA will be minimised and simultaneous container scanning at JNPA will be implemented for faster clearances and reduced turnaround time.

All efforts will be taken to ensure faster movement of air cargo as well and reduce turnover time.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)