Lok Sabha Question No. 2131 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-10
Subject: Shortage of Containers at Eastern Ports
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Ravneet Singh, Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 2131

ANSWERED ON 1011212021

## SHORTAGE OF CONTAINERS AT EASTERN PORTS

2131. SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU.

SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH:

will the Minister of PoRTS, sHlpptNG AND WATERWAyS  be pteased ro state q..fld-{,  fra  qPr.d-6-{  sfu ra-om.t  t-*

- (a) whether the eastern ports  are grappling with container shortages  forcing exporters  to move to western  lndian  ports  with spike  in freight during post  covid reopening;
- (b) if so, the details thereof,
- (c)  whether the Government has taken any steps to resolve this issue of shortaqe  of containers  on the East lndian Ports;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the time by which the problem of container  shortages in these ports is likely to be resolved  in future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING  AND WATERWAYS (sHRt SARBANANDA  SONOWAL)

(a&b)  Yes sir, during the various meetings held by the Ministry  of  ports,  shipping & waterways and Directorate  General of shipping, Mumbai srnce Decemb er, 2o2o with the trade bodies, shortage  of reefer  container  at Visakhapatnam  and Kolkata ports was reported.

- (c&d) Yes Sir, steps are taken to resolve  the issue:
- i) A Task Force has been constituted  by the Ministry of  ports,  Shipping and waterways  (MoPSW) under the chairmanship of Additionar Secretary(pSW) comprising  representatives  from the Ministry of commerce and Industry, Ministry  of Railways,  centrar Board of rndirect raxes and customs (cBrc) and stake-holders Iike the Federation of lndian Export organisations (FlEo)
- to monitor evolving situation of shortage of containers  and regular follow up on the initiatives  to augment the availability  of containers'  Meetings  are held by the Task Force at regular  intervals'
- ii) As per the advice of the Directorate  General  of Shipping'  FIEO has set up a portal to bring on-board  EXIM traders  and Shipping  lines on a common platform where the exporters  could  place their requirements  well in advance and shipping  lines can also place the schedule for availability  of containers' The portal is functional and many Exporters  and Service  providers have registered  themselves on the portal'
- iii) Regular  interaction  with the Shipping Lines and their Association  has resulted in increasing  the availability  of the number of empty imported  (TEUs) containers. So far 1.67 million TEUs have been repositioned by shipping lines. New services  to west Africa, usA, Europe and Far East has been started  by Shipping Lines further increasing  containers  supply and availability of space on ships.  The Shipping Corporation  of lndia (SCl) has also diverted one 4500 TEUs container  ship  'SCl Chennai'engaged  in Coastal  trade to EXIM trade from 03.10 2021'
- iv) Exporters  were advised to explore the  possibilities of converting  their containerizing cargo to bulk/break  bulk cargo FlEO and lndian  National Shipowners' Association  (INSA)  are coordinating  in this regard'
- v)  CONCOR has announced a volume-based  rebate scheme of upto 100% on rail taritf w.e.f 01.09.2021  for movement of empty  containers  from Ports  to Hinterland  for its further utilization  in exports'
- (e): During the last meeting,  the Shipping companies & Association  have informed that  the situation  is to improve from mid of 2022 '