JNPA partners RSA Global to set up empty container yard near Nhava Sheva

The 62-acre facility, to be developed with UAE-based RSA Global, will improve container turnaround, asset utilisation and operational efficiency at India's largest container port

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), India's largest container port, has entered into a licence agreement with UAE-based logistics firm RSA Global for the development of an Empty Container Yard (ECY).

 

The yard will be developed 3 km from the port terminals at Nhava Sheva. It will spread across 62 acres and will be operated on a 30-year lease. The port said the facility will support faster turnaround, improved asset utilisation, and enhanced operational reliability for the maritime logistics sector.

 

The facility will provide an integrated suite of services catering to the complete lifecycle of empty containers, enabling shipping lines to manage equipment more efficiently while improving coordination across ports, terminals, Container Freight Stations (CFSs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Free Trade Warehousing Zones (FTWZs), and transport operators, according to a statement issued by JNPA on Thursday.

   

The yard will be developed in a phased manner. Phase I, comprising approximately 20 acres, is expected to be operational within 15-20 days, enabling storage and core yard operations. Phase II will add another 20 acres by January 2027, followed by the development of the remaining 21.7 acres under Phase III by May 2027, completing the 62-acre facility.

 

JNPA noted that the project will also introduce advanced technologies in phases, including gate automation, artificial intelligence-enabled CCTV surveillance, a Yard Management System (YMS), an intelligent bay allocation system, driver utility facilities, and 'Container Eye' for automation of maintenance and repair (M&R) processes, delivering greater efficiency, visibility, and operational control.

 

JNPA stated that the yard will have the capability to handle multiple equipment types, including dry containers, reefer containers, ISO tanks, out-of-gauge (OOG)/project cargo equipment, and collapsible containers.

 

Earlier, JNPA handled 7.94 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container cargo in calendar year 2025, the highest ever in a year in the port's history. Cargo volume grew 12.64 per cent year-on-year (YoY) amid stable demand conditions and improved alignment across terminal operations, shipping lines, and service providers. Overall cargo throughput during 2025 reached 99.17 million metric tonnes, up 9.86 per cent YoY.