JNPA Grants 15-Day Waiver on Ground Rent for Stranded Middle East Export Containers

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has rolled out a major relief package for exporters, offering a full waiver on ground rent and dwell time charges for Middle East-bound containers stuck at its terminals for up to 15 days.

The move addresses hardships from ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, which have disrupted shipping routes and left export cargoes piling up. Terminal operators at JNPA—including Nhava Sheva Free Port Terminal (NSFT), Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT), Nhava Sheva India Gateway Terminal (NSIGT), Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT), and GTI-APM Terminal—will also slash reefer plug-in charges by 80% for perishable-laden reefers during the same period (from 0000 hours February 28 to 2400 hours March 14).

This follows standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to major ports nationwide. JNPA’s trade notice mandates shipping lines, NVOCCs, and freight forwarders to pass these benefits directly to exporters, while coordinating with customs for temporary transshipment storage of diverted laden containers from other ports.

The waivers apply to containers already inside terminals since February 28 or gated in by 0700 hours March 8, helping mitigate demurrage costs amid Red Sea crisis fallout. JNPA is also allocating extra stacking space to terminals to handle the surge in stranded volumes.