Nhava Sheva Port (JNPT), India’s busiest public gateway, logged an all-time throughput high in the fiscal year 2022-23, which ended on 31 March, according to the latest port data obtained by Container News.
The combined volume out of five container terminals hit 6.05 million TEUs, up 6.4% year-over-year.
PSA Mumbai (BMCT) reported a stellar performance, with its annual throughput surging 33% to 1.7 million TEUs on vessel calls which jumped 58% from the prior year.
BMCT began first-phase operations in early 2018, with a designed capacity of 2.4 million TEUs. Work on Phase II development is under way and according to current indications, the project is scheduled for commissioning in April 2025. At full build-out, the terminal will have a capacity of 4.8 million TEUs.
Gateway Terminals India (GTI), also known as APM Terminals Mumbai, saw relatively flat growth, apparently because of capacity constraints. The terminal handled 1.85 million TEUs during the fiscal year, as ship calls decreased by approximately 7%.
DP World has two terminals in Nhava Sheva, NSICT and NSIGT. The former handled 1.1 million TEUs in fiscal 2022-23, up 16% year-over-year, while the latter saw 1.14 million TEUs, down 4%, according to new data.
Nhava Sheva Port saw a massive wave of export containers in March, straining its infrastructure that has been under severe pressure due to the decommissioning of a berth at APMT Mumbai for the installation of new cranes.
Additionally, the recently-privatised port-owned JNPCT facility is under infrastructure upgrades. As a result, cargo flows through the port have taken a hit, particularly sending reefer movements out of whack.
A consortium led by CMA Terminals (CMAT) and Mumbai-based JM Baxi Group has won the rights to modernise JNPCT, rechristened as Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal (NSFT).
“The consortium is well positioned to execute the plan, thanks to CMA Terminals Holding’s experience at 50 active port terminals across 33 countries together with JM Baxi Ports & Logistics’ strong track record of managing brown-field terminal concessions in India and two containers terminals at Visakhapatnam and Kandla,” CMA CGM said in a recent statement.
The company further noted, “Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal’s offering is further enhanced by its intermodal connectivity via a rail freight corridor that connects the terminal to main production and consumption centers in India. This offers terminal customers quality integrated services at sea and ashore.”
It went on to add, “With this new concession agreement, CMA CGM is growing its terminal footprint while supporting the growth and efficiency of its commercial and operational activities in India.”
Jenny Daniel
Global Correspondent
Contact email: j.daniel@container-news.com
