A sharp rise in transhipment cargo volumes linked to disruptions in the Middle East has intensified congestion pressures at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), with Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals (BMCT) emerging as the worst-affected facility.
Trade stakeholders and customs brokers have flagged prolonged truck turnaround times, delays in cargo evacuation and mounting yard pressure at the PSA International-operated BMCT terminal, which has recently absorbed a large share of diverted transhipment cargo.
According to industry sources, container lines increasingly routed Middle East-linked cargo through BMCT because of its additional yard capacity following the commissioning of Phase II expansion works. As a result, BMCT reportedly handled around 59,000 TEUs of transhipment cargo in March and nearly 64,000 TEUs in April, accounting for a significant portion of JNPA’s diverted volumes.
The Brihanmumbai Customs Brokers Association (BCBA) has raised concerns over operational inefficiencies at the terminal, citing breakdowns in first-in-first-out cargo evacuation, excessive truck waiting periods and missed vessel connections. Exporters have also reported cargo rollovers and disruptions in meeting shipment deadlines.
Congestion at JNPA has been compounded by an acute shortage of truck drivers and trailer availability, affecting container evacuation from terminals and container freight stations. Trucking groups have warned that worsening conditions could disrupt cargo movement further if turnaround times do not improve.
JNPA, however, maintains that all five container terminals continue to operate efficiently and that the primary challenge stems from shortages of trailers and drivers arranged by customs brokers and container freight stations. The port authority has initiated measures including rail-based evacuation to inland container depots, coordination with customs authorities and mobilisation of additional manpower to ease pressure on terminals.
The congestion episode comes amid a broader rise in transhipment activity at JNPA, driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and shifting regional cargo flows. JNPA had earlier reported that transhipment volumes had increased from 5 per cent to 16 per cent of total throughput during FY2025-26.