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5. Custom Bottlenecks: Custom is the major bottlenecks for the importers and exporters. Rampant corruption, lengthy procedures and indefinite delays are not only impediment to the business but also give unnecessary headache to the players.

All these factors listed above have the direct influence on the container trade in the country and eventually the container shipping.

What can be the solution of the problem in consideration?

• Increasing the capacity only will not solve the problem rather works need to be done on other infrastructure bottlenecks like hinterland connectivity.

• Creating a buffer yards for directing the export containers, which has received all the clearance for the export.

• The same can also be created for the import containers.

• Feeder services and coastal services to be integrated with the mainline shipping. For e.g. in Singapore more than 3 million TEU's are handled by feeder services only.

• Mundra, Kandla can act as a feeder port for the northbound traffic of Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi.

• Competitor to CONCOR can be strategic option to look upon. This can also be the case in the event of recent announcement of Mr. L.P.Yadav, railway minister to open up the container movement to private operator also.

• The policy makers must realise the importance of agile decision making process and immediate implementation.

• Proper coordination among the existing yards like JNPT-NSICT and Indian railways, which have been one of the key reason for congestion. The orientation should be customer focused, which is becoming a trend worldwide.

• The option of merger of JNPT and NSICT can also be look upon, which can effectively strengthen India's image as a major transhipment hub.

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* Contributed by -
Amit Gupta,
Did Dual MBA from IMI, Belgium and IIPM, New Delhi (Specialisation in Marketing & Finance) in February 2005,
Currently working in i-Maritime Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.