JNPT eases norms for container movement

To enhance the ease of business, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has decided to allow 143 importers to transport containers directly from the port to company warehouses, bypassing 33 Container Freight Stations.

This will reduce the delivery time of containers from about 10 days to 1.4 days. Reduction of the process time will help companies save ₹4,000 per container a day. According to a rough estimate, the logistics cost per container will come down by about ₹1 lakh a year.

The process does not mean that Customs department formalities will be evaded. On the contrary, the department will issue a 12-month Accredited Client Programmer (ACP) waiver to those companies, who have a clean reputation and impeccable track record.

The JNPT is calling this programme Direct Port Delivery (DPD) and 14 companies are already enjoying this facility. Now it has been extended to 143 companies, whose credentials have been vetted by the Customs department and have been certified under the ACP.

“We want to cut short this process of delivering the container as the delays in delivery of the container adds to logistics costs. If we have to be competitive in trade, the time and cost of such transactions will have to be reduced,” Chairman JNPT, Anil Diggikar said while addressing the media on Wednesday.

He said that the decision is in line with Ministry of Shipping policy towards ease of doing business. With this, a long-pending demand of the trade bodies has been fulfilled.

JNPT Deputy Chairman Neeraj Bansal added that it is an attempt to reduce red tape, bribes and mounds of paperwork.

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