JNPA cites trailer, driver shortages for delays in container evacuation

JNPA said all five container terminals are operating normally and attributed delays in import container evacuation to shortages of trailers and drivers arranged by CFSs and customs brokers

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has clarified that all five of its container terminals are operating normally, without any congestion, attributing delays in import container evacuation to shortages of trailers and drivers arranged by Container Freight Stations (CFSs) and customs brokers.

 

India’s largest container port issued a statement on Thursday in light of recent advisories issued by the Container Freight Station Association of India (CFSAI) and the Brihanmumbai Customs Brokers Association (BCBA).

 

On average, JNPA receives 10–12 container vessels daily, handling around 22,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containerised cargo (imports and exports) every day. Gate operations remain steady, with around 20,000 TEUs moving by road and 2,000 TEUs by rail, the authority noted.

 

JNPA said that import containers stacked at terminal yards are delivered only when trailers are placed by CFSs or customs brokers, making trailer availability their responsibility. “If drivers are unavailable due to vacation or absenteeism, CFSs and CBs must arrange immediate alternatives,” it added.

 

The authority further clarified that terminals have deployed additional manpower to expedite container delivery and that there is no situation where trailers are waiting for loading; rather, the number of trailers arriving has reduced due to driver shortages.

 

JNPA stated that it is facilitating the evacuation of containers by rail to nearby CFSs with rail sidings, coordinating with customs for expedited approvals, and assisting trade by arranging dedicated trains from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to bring back drivers currently on vacation, as proactive measures.

 

JNPA’s total container storage capacity is 1.76 lakh TEUs. Under normal conditions, occupancy ranges between 90,000 and 1,00,000 TEUs. Due to increased transhipment cargo following geopolitical disturbances in the Middle East, occupancy as of May 7, 2026, stood at 1.18 lakh TEUs, or about 67 per cent of the total capacity.

 

Of this, only 26,000 TEUs are transhipment containers, which are not causing congestion. The higher occupancy is solely due to delays in trailer mobilisation by CFSs and customs brokers, JNPA noted.

 

JNPA reiterated that the pendency of import containers will only be resolved when CFSs and customs brokers urgently mobilise sufficient trailers and drivers.

 

“JNPA stands ready to extend all possible support, but the responsibility of container evacuation rests with the CFSs and CBs. JNPA remains committed to providing the best services to its customers. We urge CFSs and customs brokers to immediately arrange adequate trailers and drivers to ensure smooth evacuation of import containers from the terminal yards,” the authority added.

 

Last month, JNPA said it had demonstrated remarkable operational resilience by maintaining key performance parameters despite ongoing geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East, as its import container dwell time improved, reducing from 25.17 hours in February 2026 to 22.68 hours in March 2026.