Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
India

Committed to boost container availability, reduce congestion at ports: Piyush Goyal

Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Sep, 2024 11:13 AM
  • Committed to boost container availability, reduce congestion at ports: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) The government is committed to improving the availability of containers, faster evacuation of export consignments, and reducing congestion at the ports, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said on Thursday.

Chairing an inter-ministerial meeting to address issues related to rising freight costs, shipping delays, shortage and non-availability of containers and congestion at the ports, the minister said the decisions taken by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Ministry of Railways will result in successfully addressing these issues.

Minister Goyal said that the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has decided to allow empty containers to be stored for a period of 90 days in the yard at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) free of cost and has also slashed the loading and handling charges significantly.

JNPT Chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh assured that steps have already been taken to eliminate any congestion and bottlenecks.

To enhance export-related processes, traffic delays near and around the JNPA will be minimised and simultaneous container scanning at the port will be implemented for faster clearances and reduced turnaround time.

According to Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar, the charges of Rs 3,000 that are being levied beyond 90 days, are now reduced to Rs 1,500. Further, the storage and handling rates will be reduced for containers from Rs 9,000 to Rs 2,000 (for a 40-feet container) and from Rs 6,000 to Rs 1,000 (for a 20-feet container).

The Commerce Minister urged all stakeholders to make concerted efforts to significantly mitigate the difficulties and address the issues faced by the exporters. Goyal emphasised that due to the current geopolitical tensions, Red Sea Crisis, Houthi operations, ongoing wars and its impact on international trade, there was a need to engage with a multidisciplinary team.

During the meeting, the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) announced that on an immediate basis, capacity will be enhanced by 9,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The SCI will also buy an 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.

According to Secretary, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shipping, T.K. Ramachandran, the port capacities have already been enhanced by 2.3 million TEUs. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam announced that all efforts will be taken to ensure faster movement of air cargo and reduce turnover time. The stakeholders in the meeting also decided to set up a multidisciplinary help desk to support exporters.

MORE India ARTICLES

Ambala airport to commence civil flights on Aug 15

Ambala airport to commence civil flights on Aug 15
Chairing a review meeting held here with officers of the Civil Aviation, Power, Public Works (Buildings and Roads), and Fire Service Departments, he said the runway of the Indian Air Force Station would be used for takeoff and landing of aircraft. The airport will benefit travellers from Haryana as well as neighbouring states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.

Ambala airport to commence civil flights on Aug 15

Three more fresh deaths reported in Assam as flood water recedes

Three more fresh deaths reported in Assam as flood water recedes
Three more flood-related deaths were reported in two districts of Assam, where the flood water is receding and the overall flood situation has significantly improved in the last 10 days. Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that over 5.11 lakh people remain affected in 17 of the state's 35 districts.

Three more fresh deaths reported in Assam as flood water recedes

Delhi HC fixes August 7 for hearing on ED's appeal against bail to CM Kejriwal

Delhi HC fixes August 7 for hearing on ED's appeal against bail to CM Kejriwal
The senior counsel representing CM Kejriwal requested a bench headed by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna to adjourn the proceedings since he received the ED’s rejoinder affidavit late on Sunday. In an order passed on June 20, the Delhi High Court had stayed the operation of the bail order saying that the trial court vacation bench did not apply its mind to the entire material and it ought to give equal opportunity to the ED to argue the bail application.

Delhi HC fixes August 7 for hearing on ED's appeal against bail to CM Kejriwal

Punjab Police seize 4,100 kg poppy husk; one held

Punjab Police seize 4,100 kg poppy husk; one held
Punjab Police have arrested a drug smuggler and seized 4,100 kg poppy husk packed in 210 bags being smuggled in a container truck from Madhya Pradesh, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Monday. The accused has been identified as Sandeep Singh, a resident of Jalandhar.

Punjab Police seize 4,100 kg poppy husk; one held

Earthquake of 4.2 magnitude jolts Kashmir

Earthquake of 4.2 magnitude jolts Kashmir
An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter Scale occurred in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. Data released by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said that an earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale occurred in J&K at 12.26 p.m.

Earthquake of 4.2 magnitude jolts Kashmir

ISIS terror plot: NIA files charge sheet in Mumbai court; names 2, including Libyan man IANS

ISIS terror plot: NIA files charge sheet in Mumbai court; names 2, including Libyan man IANS
The NIA has named M. Zoheb Khan of Maharashtra, who was arrested earlier this year (February 2024) and the Libyan M. Shoeb Khan, as the key conspirators in the terror plot linked with a module in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to the ISIS’ global networks.

ISIS terror plot: NIA files charge sheet in Mumbai court; names 2, including Libyan man IANS