<p data-path-to-node="5">Mounting driver shortages and lingering off-dock container station closures have triggered new operational delays across the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) logistics corridor. In response to rising yard dwell times, the <b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="244">Container Freight Station Association of India (CFSAI)</b> has issued an operational advisory to trade stakeholders, urging custom brokers, importers, and transport operators to coordinate closely to clear import backlogs across Nhava Sheva.</p><p data-path-to-node="6">While port authorities report that JNPA's primary quay terminals and gate complexes continue to run smoothly, off-dock container evacuation remains hampered by localized labor constraints and equipment imbalances.</p><h3 data-path-to-node="8"><b data-path-to-node="8" data-index-in-node="0">CFSAI Highlights Off-Dock Driver Deficits While JNPA Pushes Intermodal Rail Evacuation</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="9">The operational advisories highlight contrasting perspectives between off-dock facilities and port administration across the Nhava Sheva maritime ecosystem:</p><ul data-path-to-node="10"><li><p data-path-to-node="10,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">CFSAI Warns of Off-Dock Evacuation Pressure:</b> The Container Freight Station Association of India (CFSAI) cautioned shippers that driver absenteeism compounded by seasonal movements and driver vacations has slowed trailer turnaround times between marine terminals and off-dock CFS yards. The association requested custom brokers and trade partners to mobilize extra tractor-trailers (TTs) to prevent container dwell times from escalating.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">JNPA Reaffirms Terminal Gate Fluidity:</b> JNPA clarified that quay cranes and gate operations across its five primary terminals (including BMCT, APMT, NSICT, NSIGT, and NSFT) remain un-congested. Port officials stated that terminal yards are operating well within total storage capacity limits and that delays stem primarily from off-dock trailer placement by individual CFS operators and Custom Brokers rather than berth bottlenecks.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Emergency Measures to Clear Yard Dwell:</b> To alleviate yard buildup, JNPA, in coordination with Customs authorities and rail operators, has launched targeted interventions. Measures include deploying dedicated short-haul train shuttles to move import boxes to rail-connected CFS yards, creating green channel corridors for high-volume facilities, and deploying extra trains to bring vacationing drivers back to the port belt.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,3,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,3,0" data-index-in-node="0">Impact of CFS Capacity Reductions:</b> The operational strain follows the suspension of major off-dock assets such as International Cargo Terminal Pvt Ltd (ICTPL), which previously handled nearly 15,000 TEUs monthly removing substantial off-dock yard capacity from the Nhava Sheva network and forcing surrounding facilities to absorb diverted freight volumes.</p></li></ul>