: Mumbai, March 9, 2026

In view of the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East and its impact on global shipping and trade logistics, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all Major Ports to mitigate disruptions affecting maritime trade.

In compliance with the SOP, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has constituted a dedicated task force to coordinate response measures and facilitate trade. The task force comprises the following members:

• Joint DGFT
• Additional Commissioner of Customs
• Chief General Manager (Traffic), JNPA
• Deputy Director General, (DG Shipping)

Shri Girish Thomas, Chief General Manager (Traffic), JNPA, has been designated as the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for all coordination and communication related to trade disruptions arising from the current geopolitical developments in the Middle East.

The disruption has affected vessel schedules and export cargo movement to the Middle East, prompting coordinated efforts between port authorities and trade stakeholders. Shri Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairperson, JNPA, and Shri Ravish Kumar Singh, IRTS, Deputy Chairperson, JNPA, are holding regular consultations with shipping lines, exporters, terminal operators, Customs authorities, maritime regulators and trade associations including BCBA, APEDA, CSLA, MANSA, FFFAI and Transporters Associations to closely monitor the situation and address operational concerns.

To support the EXIM community and ease congestion at the port, JNPA has implemented several facilitation measures, including:

• Provision of temporary transshipment storage for Middle East-bound cargo
• Allocation of additional storage areas at terminals wherever required
• Facilitation of ad-hoc vessel calls to move cargo to Middle East ports located on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz, including Fujairah and Khor Fakkan in the UAE, and Sohar, Muscat and Salalah in Oman
• Priority handling for perishable cargo and export cargo returning from the Middle East
• Expedited ‘Back to Town’ (BTT) movement of export containers

An important facilitation measure has also been introduced by Customs authorities at Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House (JNCH), enabling Back to Town (BTT) movement of export cargo even in cases where the Export General Manifest (EGM) has not been filed.

Under this provision:

• Containers with intact seals will be permitted BTT movement after basic verification
• Containers at Container Yard (CPP) will require only e-seal verification
• Containers at Container Freight Stations (CFS) will undergo limited inspection linked to the shipping bill
• The usual detailed physical examination has been waived
• BTT-related fees or penalties have also been waived

Following consultations with the Reefer Transporters Association, it has been confirmed that adequate trailers are available for the movement of both reefer and other containers requiring BTT evacuation. This will ensure smooth evacuation of containers from the port without logistical constraints, particularly for perishable cargo such as bananas, grapes and other commodities with limited shelf life. Speaking on the situation, Shri Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairperson, JNPA, stated, “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 minimize disruption. Our endeavor is to identify practical solutions that support exporters and ensure seamless port operations.”

As a result of these coordinated efforts, the situation at the port has shown steady improvement. The number of stranded containers at JNPA has reduced from around 5,000 TEUs on March 1 to nearly 3,200 TEUs as of March 8, while stranded perishable containers have decreased from around 2,000 to about 1,000.

JNPA continues to remain in close coordination with the Ministry, terminal operators, shipping lines and the trade community to ensure smooth cargo movement and sustained support to the EXIM sector, while actively exploring additional facilitation measures to further ease trade operations.

PIB Mumbai | Sriyanka Chatterjee/Robin Singh/Priti Malandkar

 

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