ports

Congestion Mounts at India's Largest Container Terminal as Transhipment Volumes Surge

Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals, the largest box terminal at Nhava Sheva Port, is struggling to manage rising cargo delays and gate congestion. A surge in transhipment traffic diverted from Middle Eastern ports compounds the pressure. The PSA International-operated terminal faces mounting complaints from customs brokers over extended truck wait times, inefficient cargo evacuation procedures, and deteriorating container cycle times. Carriers report containers lingering well beyond acceptable dwell periods without proper sequencing for removal. The disruption has forced containers to miss scheduled vessel connections and triggered line rollovers affecting exporters' contractual deadlines and letters of credit compliance. An unexpected buildup of transhipment volumes compounds yard pressure. A concurrent shortage of truck drivers available for inter-terminal container movements has further exacerbated the bottleneck. Other JNPA terminals have shown marked improvement, making BMCT's operational challenges increasingly conspicuous.