Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) — India’s Largest Container Port — on Thursday stated that the number of CFS-bound containers stranded for more than 15 days has reduced from around 2,500 to 450, owing to measures undertaken. The figure is expected to come down to a negligible level within the next week.
The situation was caused by an acute shortage of drivers within the port logistics ecosystem. As of today, the average import discharge per day stands at 12,237 TEUs, while the Import–CFS Pendency currently stands at 40,809 TEUs. Gate movement recorded a total of 17,425 TEUs, comprising 7,950 TEUs inbound and 9,475 TEUs outbound.
The green channel movement has been initiated for Ameya CFS from NSICT and NSIGT. NASCOWA deployed 70–80 truck trailers (TTs) to facilitate this movement. Kerry Indev CFS successfully evacuated more than 400 TEUs through GTI — one of the container terminals at JNPA — within a six-hour window from midnight to early morning. A total of 7,541 TEUs were evacuated over the last nine days for Polaris Logistics Park CFS. Their pendency from NSIGT has been cleared, and today’s focus will shift to evacuation from NSICT and NSFT.
In April 2026, JN Port recorded an average gate movement of 18,000 TEUs per day. Over the last 24 hours, daily gate movement stood at 18,196 TEUs, while the overall daily average for the current year stands at 17,684 TEUs.
Measures Undertaken
The port, in consultation with stakeholders, has implemented the following measures, which have contributed to a reduction in stranded containers:
- Daily monitoring and stakeholder coordination: JN Port holds regular meetings with concerned stakeholders on a daily basis. A dedicated monitoring cell operates throughout the day to assess the situation and take immediate action.
- Additional train services: JNPA facilitated additional train movement from the port to nearby CFS locations for container shifting — approximately three to four trains per day are being operated in this manner.
- Special driver recruitment train: JN Port arranged a special train to bring drivers from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, running on the route: Malda (West Bengal) – Eastern Uttar Pradesh – Madhya Pradesh – Panvel (Maharashtra).
- Recruitment outreach: Advertisements were published in Maharashtra State daily newspapers and on TV news channels across India, inviting additional drivers.
- Green channel gate facility: A green channel gate was created to enable entry of up to approximately 100 CFS TTs, ensuring faster container evacuation. This has enabled trailers to complete three to four trips per day, up from the earlier two — helping to arrest the rise in yard pendency.
- Utilisation of return journeys: Trailers arriving with export containers from distant locations are now facilitated to carry import containers on their return journey. JNPA handles the necessary coordination with the relevant organisations.
- Customs facilitation: Customs has introduced several measures to assist trade. The scanning process has been streamlined to allow two containers to move together on a single trailer. Quick permission was also granted to change the mode of transport from road to rail, facilitating CFS evacuation.
- Waiver and rationalisation of terminal charges: The port engaged with container terminal operators to waive certain charges, including Change of Movement Mode charges and shifting charges — confined to a single charge even where multiple shiftings were necessitated — along with a rationalisation of rail charges relative to road movement costs.
Current Status and Outlook
As of today, daily container movement has improved considerably, with gate operations running at approximately 18,000 TEUs per day. The situation is expected to normalise by the first week of June 2026.
The driver shortage is seasonal in nature, as drivers traditionally return to their home regions during this period for agricultural activities, vacations, and family commitments. However, this year the situation has been further compounded by elections in West Bengal and Eastern Uttar Pradesh — regions from which a significant proportion of drivers are sourced — as well as disruptions to food and highway support services along key routes.
JNPA, in coordination with the Ministry and all stakeholders, remains fully committed to ensuring efficient port operations, minimising logistics disruptions, and safeguarding the interests of exporters, importers, transporters, and the wider trade community.
