Adani Mundra Port sets new benchmark for Customs cargo clearance efficiency

MUNDRA : Adani Mundra Port has once again cemented its status as India’s most efficient commercial gateway, emerging as the top-performing leading seaport in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs’ (CBIC) National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2026. The survey, which evaluates cargo clearance performance at the country’s leading seaports, air cargo complexes, inland container depots, and integrated checkpoints, recognises Mundra Port as having the fastest cargo release time among all leading seaports in India.

According to the NTRS 2026, Mundra Port’s Average Release Time (ART) for import goods decreased from 55 hours 34 minutes in 2025 to 32 hours 27 minutes in 2026, representing a 41.6 percent improvement over the previous year. This outstanding performance allowed Mundra to easily meet the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) target of completing customs clearance within 48 hours, making it the best performer among all Indian seaports.

The survey also found that 78.39 percent of Bills of Entry processed at Mundra fulfilled the statutory NTFAP clearance target, the greatest compliance rate among all major seaports in the country. This success highlights the seamless collaboration of Customs officials, terminal operators, logistics partners, and trade stakeholders, resulting in faster cargo flow and increased supply chain efficiency.

Mundra Port has also established itself as a national leader in trade facilitation through technology-driven and customer-centric initiatives. The research states that consignments transiting through the Direct Port Delivery (DPD) mechanism at Mundra were cleared in an average of 24 hours 30 minutes, which was much faster than goods routed through Container Freight Stations (CFS), where the average release time was 34 hours 52 minutes. The DPD concept has significantly decreased stay time, cut logistical costs, and expedited cargo evacuation directly from port terminals.

On this occasion, Adani Ports Mundra Executive Director Rakshitbhai Shah said that “Being recognised as India’s fastest leading seaport for customs cargo clearance is a proud achievement for Mundra Port. This milestone reflects the strong collaboration between Mundra Customs, logistics partners, and the entire trade ecosystem. We sincerely thank the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the Mundra Customs team led by Custom Commissioner Shri Nitin Saini, and all our stakeholders for their continued partnership.”

A closer look at the comparative data underscores Mundra’s leadership. Among leading seaports, Mundra’s average cargo clearance time of 32 hours and 27 minutes stands in sharp contrast to Mumbai’s Nava Sheva Port at 65 hours and 52 minutes, Chennai Port at 85 hours and 59 minutes, and Kolkata Port at 155 hours and 9 minutes. In the inland container depot segment, which handles railway cargo, Ludhiana recorded an average of 58 hours, while Tughlakabad and Whitefield took 85 hours and 45 minutes and 85 hours and 28 minutes respectively. Even when measured against air cargo complexes—traditionally associated with faster turnaround—Mundra’s performance is impressive. Ahmedabad Airport averaged 35 hours and 41 minutes, Bengaluru 42 hours and 59 minutes, Chennai 36 hours, Delhi 36 hours and 1 minute, Hyderabad 45 hours and 8 minutes, and Mumbai 43 hours and 24 minutes. In several instances, Mundra’s seaport operations have outpaced these air cargo facilities.

An even more significant accomplishment was made for trusted traders through the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) system. Import consignments handled by the combined AEO-DPD route at Mundra had a remarkable average release time of only 15 hours and 18 minutes, the fastest among all major Indian seaports. This highlights the efficiency of risk-based customs facilitation, as well as the expanding use of trusted trader programmes that allow for speedier, more predictable, and efficient cargo clearance.

The Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme enabled trusted traders to attain even greater success. Import consignments handled using the combined AEO-DPD route at Mundra had an exceptional average release time of only 15 hours and 18 minutes, the quickest of all major Indian ports. This highlights the success of risk-based customs facilitation, as well as the increasing use of trusted trader programmes, which allow for speedier, more predictable, and more efficient cargo clearance. Processing, risk management systems, and trusted trader programmes all help to reduce cargo clearance times. Mundra Port’s consistent investments in world-class infrastructure, digitisation, automation, and close engagement with Customs and other regulatory agencies have enabled it to establish new standards for operational excellence and trade facilitation.

Mundra, India’s largest commercial port, continues to play an important role in enhancing the country’s logistics ecosystem by facilitating faster cargo turnover, lower transaction costs, and increased ease of doing business. The most recent NTRS findings underline Mundra Port’s leadership in providing globally competitive port operations while also supporting India’s objective of being a preferred destination for international trade and manufacturing.

This achievement at Mundra Port is due to a mix of operational capabilities, including the fastest delivery from the port terminal, the quickest customs clearance processes, and the most effective cargo evacuation from the port. Equally crucial is the presence of experienced, well-trained, and young personnel in the Mundra Customs administration. Under the leadership of Shri Nitin Saini, Customs Commissioner, Mundra Customs, and the dedicated efforts of his team, these variables have combined to create a new standard for cargo clearance efficiency in the country. Their combined efforts demonstrate how focused leadership and coordinated stakeholder involvement can convert port operations into a model for trade facilitation.