In a major move to ease mounting maritime supply-chain bottlenecks, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has ordered a mandatory, high-priority drive to clear long-pending containers clogging major Indian ports.
The special clearance drive, which will continue till October 31, covers unclaimed, uncleared, seized and confiscated cargo lying at port facilities. By liquidating this trapped inventory, the tax authorities aim to free up vital storage space, reduce logistics costs and make more containers available for Indian exporters.
West Coast ports face container congestion
The move comes as several Indian ports, particularly major infrastructure hubs along the West Coast, grapple with heavy container congestion. Port yards and inland container depots (ICDs) are operating close to capacity, delaying the handling and onward movement of both incoming and outgoing cargo.
West Asia conflict disrupts shipping routes
Maritime trade has faced further disruption since the escalation of the West Asia conflict on February 28. The crisis forced commercial vessels to move away from key traditional shipping routes, triggering widespread schedule disruptions. Several cargo vessels were diverted, while some returned to Indian ports mid-voyage to discharge stranded cargo, adding to the congestion.
The situation has been compounded by operational constraints faced by exporters. Shipping lines have repeatedly skipped scheduled calls at Indian ports or accepted fewer containers than originally booked. As a result, export consignments have remained stranded at terminals, with trade firms often forced to wait weeks for alternative sailings.
The CBIC’s clearance drive is expected to provide some immediate relief by releasing occupied terminal and storage capacity and helping restore the availability of containers for fresh export cargo.
Source from: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/industry-govt-unveils-drive-to-clear-port-congestion-4321578/
