MUMBAI : Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) continues to record substantial growth in container cargo throughput across all terminals. In recent days, the port experienced a sharp surge in export cargo arrival due to simultaneous bunching of container vessels, where export cargo for more than 15 vessels arrived at the terminal gates around the same time. This concentrated movement occurred during the weekend period of Friday (02.10.2026) and Saturday (03.10.2026), leading to temporary queues and slight delays in the entry and exit of container trailers.
Taking immediate cognizance, JNPA and the terminal operators initiated timely interventions and instituted extra precautionary measures in close coordination with all stakeholders, including Container Freight Stations (CFSs) and local traffic authorities. Consequently, the congestion was effectively resolved, and traffic movement returned to normal starting Sunday morning (04.10.2026). At present, there no congestion across all terminal gates, and traffic is moving smoothly.
Key Operational Highlights & Performance Metrics:
High Vessel-Side Handling & Volume Surge: Driven by robust EXIM demand, total daily quay-side handling scaled up to 35,307 TEUs on 04 October and 32,972 TEUs on 05 October, operating significantly higher than the standard daily port average benchmark. Over 16 to 17 container vessels were simultaneously berthed and handled across terminals during peak weekend operations.
Gate Movement Variations: During peak cargo ingress on Friday (02.10.2026) and Saturday (03.10.2026), total terminal gate movements reached high volumes of 21,796 TEUs (18,391 trucks) and 20,684 TEUs (17,535 trucks) per day, respectively. Through enhanced gate automation and additional deployment, throughput stabilized to 19,294 TEUs (16,332 trucks) on 04 October and 16,972 TEUs (15,045 trucks) on 05 October, bringing overall average truck turnaround time down to a brisk 1.47 hours port-wide.
Yard Occupancy & Enhanced Evacuation: Overall yard inventory dropped from a peak of 120,173 TEUs (66.89% occupancy) on 02 October to 94,519 TEUs (52.61% occupancy) by 06 October, ensuring ample yard capacity across all terminals.
Coordinated Clearance with CFS Operators: Through proactive coordination between terminals and CFS operators for rapid import evacuation, total CFS import pendency was brought down from 22,622 TEUs on 04 October to 15,770 TEUs by the morning of 06 October, de-clogging approach lanes and sustaining seamless logistics flow.
Port operations and terminal gates continue to function seamlessly. With 24/7 real-time monitoring in place, JNPA assures all trade stakeholders and transporters that approach corridors and entry gates remain completely clear and free-flowing.
About Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA):
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is one of India’s premier container-handling ports and a key gateway for the country’s EXIM trade. JNPA currently operates five container terminals — NSFT, NSICT, NSIGT, BMCT and APMT. The port also has a shallow water berth for general cargo, operated by NSDT. Its liquid cargo facilities include a terminal managed by the BPCL-IOCL consortium and an additional liquid cargo terminal developed by JNPA and operated by M/s JSW-JNPT Liquid Terminal Pvt. Ltd. The port’s coastal berth further strengthens maritime connectivity with other Indian ports and supports the growth of coastal cargo and container movement.
Spread across 277 hectares, JNPA also operates a strategically located multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) equipped with modern infrastructure and facilities to support export-oriented industries and promote trade and investment.
Looking ahead, JNPA is developing the Vadhvan Port, an all-weather, deep-draft, greenfield port in Maharashtra and the 13th Major Port of India.
