The Phase 2 launch of PSA International operations in India’s Nhava Sheva (JNPA) port is prompting container carriers to redraw their terminal deals for berthing space, with greater operational flexibility the ‘look-out’ factor amid lingering Red Sea-linked schedule pressures.
MSC, which often uses a lot of ‘ad-hoc’ or unscheduled calls in covering Indian trades, has moved some of its large calls from DP World’s JNPA terminals, NSICT and NSIGT, to the PSA Mumbai (BMCT) terminal.
Its HEX (Himalaya Express) service is among those changes, as it deploys larger ships, with capacities of up to 15,000 teu or so.
“With vessels getting bigger, container lines are turning to terminals that can offer them scalability and quicker turnarounds,” a JNPA port operations executive said. “BMCT has sufficient quay capacity with the second phase expansion in place, though it’s still to be fully ready.”
HEX usually has some 4,000 to 5,000 container moves (exports/imports) per call, according to available data. The service has a rotation of Colombo-Nhava Sheva-Mundra-Salalah-Jeddah-King Abdullah-Gioia Tauro-Valencia-Felixstowe-Antwerp-Rotterdam- Hamburg. Jeddah was added in late 2022 to build regional volumes through transhipment.
“Cargo from worldwide locations for import to Jeddah may be carried on MSC’s global network of 260-plus trade routes and transhipped at the main hubs of North Europe, as well as Gioia Tauro and King Abdullah,” the carrier said. “Export cargo from Jeddah may be transhipped via King Abdullah, Valencia, and N Europe hubs.”
HEX was believed to be a major volume contributor to NSIGT since the terminal began operations a decade ago, while its older sister, NSICT, remained embroiled in tariff disputes and associated capacity readjustments.
But DP World sources claimed two recent Wan Hai Lines-led intra-Asia service gains would level-out the losses from to MSC’s switch.
DP World recently settled long-standing tariff issues through an agreement with the port authority, allowing NSICT to top up capacity and raise throughput capabilities. The latest port data reflected that re-integration, as NSICT reached a new volume high last month, handling 111,331 teu, versus 87,218 teu in April 2024.
In contrast, freight passing through NSIGT saw a slowdown in April, compared with its performance levels over the past year. It handled 83,888 teu last month, down from 88,229 teu a year ago, data shows.
Overall, JNPA has had a strong start to the new fiscal year (2025-26), with April volumes up 21% year on year, which “sets a strong tone for fiscal year 2025, driven by JNPA’s enhanced port infrastructure, proactive cargo facilitation and rising demand from key trade routes”, the port authority said.
“As volumes scale up, JNPA continues to reinforce its position as the gateway of choice for containerised trade on the western coast.”
However, amid the volume build-up, truck congestion has been a trade concern across Nhava Sheva’s terminals in recent months.
