Blackout at JNPT on May 1, traders worried about reefers

Sisir Pradhan | The Dollar Business Movement of export and import containers are likely to be affected at India’s most busiest container port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) in the coming days as the port authorities have announced a total blackout for maintenance work on May 1. The worst hit are likely to be reefer containers as diesel motor powered generators will feed only 190 numbers of refrigerated cargo containers at the port. Notably, the port is facing congestion issues as Gateway Terminals India (GTI), which handles around 20% of India’s total container traffic, closed its south entrance gate for export cargo starting from Sunday, 12th April 2015. Read here: JNP, which handled 4.16 million TEUs of container traffic during FY2013-14, is the largest among all the major ports in India in container handling with a market share of around 55.81%. The port has three container terminals, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) operated Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT), GTI operated by a joint-venture consortium comprising APM Terminals and Container Corporation of India, and DP World operated Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT). Notably, due to the closure of export gates at GTI, hundreds of trailers with export cargo are stranded on the way to JNP. Moreover, it has also delayed import clearances. Leading ship liner NYK Line India has issued a trade advisory on 14th April which says, “GTI terminal is experiencing berthing delay for all vessels due to Go Slow and berth congestion. Furthermore, since 13th April midnight there is a shortage of RTG (Rubber-Tyred Gantry) crane operators for three days due to local village festival (Jatra). Export movements by road are closed from 14th April 00:01 hours till 16th April 08:00 hrs. On 1st May 2015 from 08:00hrs till 17:00 hrs there will be Nhava Sheva Port annual power shut down for maintenance which will impact the terminal operations adversely. For Week 17, 18, 19 and 20, terminal will be able to do only 70% of the proforma moves. However, if the situation improves in between then the terminal will review the same and keep all concerned informed suitably.” Officials of JNP told The Dollar Business that JNPT Electrical Maintenance Department will carry out some maintenance work of high tension switchgears at master unit sub-station (MUSS), and sub-stations nos. E4 to E7 inside the port area due to which supply of electricity will be disrupted from 08:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs on 1st May 2015. Moreover, supply to reefer points at E6(A) sub-station, which is also the main reefer container yard, will be fed from diesel powered generators. However, number of reefer containers shall be restricted to 190 only. The container gates of the port will be closed from 08:00 hrs on 1st May and will only be opened after 13:00 hrs on the day.    

This article was published on April 16, 2015 – 4.40 pm IST.