PIPAVAV: APM Terminals Pipavav is taking efforts to facilitate trade and reviving economy amidst a considerable imbalance in trade due to severe shortage of containers for exporters. The Port has reduced the terminal handling charges for empty containers by 25% to enable the exporters who are adversely impacted by the shortage of empty containers due to significant fall in imports. The reduction for handling charges on tariff is effective for vessels sailing from 16th November 2020 to 31st December 2020. 
 
According to the data from Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India’s exports during April-October 2020, fell by 19% to $150.14 billion; while imports declined 36.3% to $182.29 billion. The country faced shortage of containers for exports as usually the containers that come in as imports are shipped out for exports. However, because of significant fall in imports, shipping companies had cut capacity that impacted availability of allied transportation systems like trucks and containers. This resulted in shortage of empty containers hurting exporters as access to a container is now taking more than two-three weeks compared to maximum of 4-5 days earlier.
 
Mr. Jakob Friis Sørensen, Managing Director, APM Terminals Pipavav said, “Looking at the trade cycle adversely affected by the shortage of containers, we decided to assist the trade through reduction in handling charges of empty containers. I hope this will support exporters in getting easy access to empty containers and reduce the waiting period, thereby addressing the critical issue of container shortage.”
 
“With improvement seen in domestic trade, we believe the international trade too shall pick up from the first quarter of next calendar year, thereby decongesting traffic at Port and improving the overall trade sentiment,” Mr. Sørensen said.

Source:- dst.news