JNPT expects imports to get back to normal from this month-end

The country's largest container handling port JNPT on Monday said it expects imports to get back to normal from the end of this month while exports has already picked up, seeing an increase in the shipments last month.

The port has reported a 19 per cent spike in overall traffic to 4.07 million tonnes in July over June, while container traffic rose to 3,44,316 twenty-foot equivalent units during the same period, registering a growth of 19 per cent over June 2019, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) said in a release.

The port handled a total of 196 vessels in July, it said.

Also, during the month, the port witnessed two major developments operationalisation of the SEZ and a Rs 1,000-crore investment from the Hindustan Infralog Private Limited to develop the Nhava Sheva Business Park (NSBP), a free trade and warehousing zone at JNPT, the port operator said.

"In July, we have seen exports increasing and expect even the imports to get back to normal by the end of this month. There were few ups and downs but we have managed to keep the operations up and running," said JNPT Chairman Sanjay Sethi.

He added that JNPT is the first port where port-led economic development is evolving successfully and "we are confident of attracting leading global companies for investing here at JNPT SEZ".

The port has been continuously growing month-on-month, registering a throughput of 3,44,316 TEUs in container handling in July, which is 19 per cent higher as compared to June 2020, JNPT said in the release.

It added that the port handled a total of 196 vessels with the overall traffic handling in July standing at 4.85 million tonnes as against 4.07 million tonnes handled in the previous month.

The port also added that JNPT received the operational status for India's first multi-product port-based special economic zone (SEZ).

The release said as many as five units have started their construction activities with two of them recently starting operations successfully. All three units have been granted operational status by the development commissioner, SEEPZ, SEZ, it said.

In another development, Hindustan Infralog Pvt Ltd (HIPL), a joint venture between DP World and NIIF, has announced an investment of Rs 1,000 crore to develop the NSBP, a free trade and warehousing zone (FTWZ), at JNPT, it said.

The project will be completed by the end of 2021 and provide a seamless experience for both domestic and international traders at port, it said.

It added that once operational, the FTWZ project will contribute in establishing India as a major trade and manufacturing hub, and support the government's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' programme.