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Three major ocean carriers covering the trade to and from India plan to impose an emergency congestion surcharge on all import containers handled at the Port of Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru), the countryF0;s largest container gateway. Effective on July 15, the surcharge will be $150 per 20-foot equivalent unit and $300 per 40-foot equivalent unit.Orient Overseas Container Line, NYK Line and Hyundai Merchant Marine, in separate notices, said the surcharge is necessary to offset additional costs incurred as a result of increased congestion and rail delays at the west coast hub.Persistent operational delays earlier prompted some shipping lines, including Maersk Line and CMA CGM, to divert northern hinterland cargo to the neighboring ports of Mundra and Pipavav. According to the lines, the current surge in overall traffic volume coupled with the onset of heavy monsoon rains, which typically complicate intermodal operations, is likely to aggravate the situation in the coming weeks. |