In export push, govt steps in to raise container capacity

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announces purchase of second-hand vessels

- SHREYA NANDI & DHRUVAKSH SAHA

Concerned over the fall- from reducing loading and hanout of the Red Sea crisis dling cost of empty containers by and severe shortage of the Container Corporation of India containers against the (Concor). A simultaneous conbackdrop of a steep decline in merchandise exports in August, the Union government is pulling out all the stops to find a solution. To begin with, the government has devised a strategy aimed at boosting container supply and supporting exporters.

An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by trade minister Piyush Goyal, on Thursday, decided that the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) will start tainer scanning will also begin at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) for faster clearances and reduction in turnaround time.

"I am confident that it (decisions taken today) will result in bringing down the shipping cost, improve the availability of empty containers, help faster evacuation of export consignments, and significantly reduce the congestion at ports," Goyal told reporters during a briefing.

The meeting, chaired by Goyal, was attended by officials from shipping, railways, civil aviation, finance and commerce & industry.

"One of the major issues that was pointed out was that foreign shipping lines are not giving us slots. So one problem we have been facing is the lack of Indian container lines. Now SCI has started this ship and we will operate it regularly.