JNPT handles highest-ever container traffic in January

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) With an increase of 13 per cent compared to last year, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) handled 4.18 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of cargo in January, the highest ever container traffic in a single month, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The Shipping Ministry said the feat was achieved due to JNPT's sustained efforts in creating trade-friendly measures over the last few months.

"With the commencement of operations of fourth terminal, EXIM (export-import) trade gets an opportunity to use state-of-the-art facilities and avail JNPT port for further increasing the volume of traffic," it said in the statement.

It added that Direct Port Delivery (DPD) -- one of the key initiatives implemented by JNPT to reduce the logistics cost and time -- had met with highly encouraging response "as the share of DPD clearance had steadily risen to more than 37 per cent in January".

In the DPD process, the port is eliminating one key stakeholder - container freight stations (CFS) - and its role is now assumed by other stakeholders - terminals, shipping lines and transporters, according to JNPT.

Under the DPD process, the containers are directly delivered to the consignees instead of waiting in container freight stations for clearance, which can take up to 11 days.

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