The Port of Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva) in India denied media reports that crane installation at the port-run terminal was carried out without proper planning or advanced consultations with stakeholders.
Port officials said the purchase of three new cranes was well-planned and properly cascaded to stakeholders. It also said sufficient adjustments were made to make sure procedures at the terminals were least disturbed by the equipment upgrading project.
The port issued the denial after the Western India Shippers’ Association (WISA) criticized the “lack of communication” from the port authority, which WISA said has caused the current congestion problems at the country’s largest container port.
WISA said shipping lines and the Indian government were both liable for the congestions and delays of operations at Nhava Sheva that have compelled carriers to impose congestion surcharges and divert services.
While India has enjoyed an economic boom, its container port capacity at Jawaharlal Nehru has not kept abreast. Records show that Nehru handles more than 60 percent of India’s total containerized traffic and registered a record throughput of 4.27 million 20-foot equivalent units in fiscal 2010-2011.
