New Mangalore Port halves mainline container ship charges and offers feeders 35% rebate

New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) is offering mainline container vessels a 50% rebate on berth hire, port dues and pilotage, while feeder vessels qualify for a 35% reduction on the same charges. The revised rates apply to ships berthing at the Karnataka port to handle containers between 3 November 2026 and 31 March 2027.

The authority wants to attract more vessel calls and compete for containerised cargo moving through neighbouring ports. New Mangalore handled 192,307 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the financial year ended March 2026. The incentive targets the shipping lines that decide whether to include Mangaluru in a service rotation.

Which port calls qualify for the rebate?

The purpose of the call determines eligibility. A feeder or mainline vessel must berth at New Mangalore to load or discharge containers during the specified period. The authority excludes ancillary activities such as bunkering and changes of vessel flag. Operators can apply the relevant percentage to the three eligible items in the port’s published tariff when estimating the cost of a call.

Pilotage is a notable feature for feeder operators. Under NMPA’s 2024–25 calendar-year rebate scheme, feeders received a standard 25% reduction on berth hire and port dues. Mainline ships received 25% on those charges and pilotage. The November 2026 schedule covers pilotage for both categories and gives mainline operators a 15-percentage-point advantage over feeders.

How do mainline and feeder services serve Karnataka’s trade?

The two services give shippers different ways to reach overseas markets. A feeder carries containers to a hub for transfer to another ship. A mainline call gives exporters a direct sailing to other ports on that vessel’s rotation. NMPA’s decision to offer both rebates supports the port’s existing feeder links while giving lines a stronger incentive to make a direct call.

New Mangalore has previously combined tariff concessions with a fixed berthing window, which gives operators a scheduled slot at Berth No. 14. In April 2023, the port inaugurated a regular direct mainline service with a call by Hong An. The published rotation included Chittagong, Colombo, New Mangalore, Nhava Sheva and Mundra, with direct connections to Jebel Ali and Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates.

What ships can the container terminal accommodate?

JSW Mangalore Container Terminal Private Limited began commercial operations at Berth No. 14 on 29 March 2022. JSW Infrastructure lists a berth length of 350 metres, a draught of 14 metres and a maximum vessel size of 9,000 TEUs. Three mobile harbour cranes handle cargo alongside the ship, while eight reach stackers move containers in the yard.

Container volumes also determine when the terminal operator must expand. In February 2024, throughput for the 2023–24 financial year reached 180,000 TEUs. Under the concession agreement, that milestone triggered an 18-month deadline for starting second-phase works. The Indian Private Ports and Terminals Association lists annual container capacity at 239,148 TEUs in the first phase, rising to 358,722 TEUs under the second phase.