(THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA)
Mumbai July 29, 2019: JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust) the number one container Port in India, took a major step in the larger interest of the EXIM community by facilitating a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) signing for a new Inter-Terminal Rail Handling Operation (ITRHO) Agreement, between all the Terminal at JNPort.

There was an ITRHO (Inter Terminal Rail Handling Operation) MoU signed in the year 2007 between the then existing three terminals JNPCT, NSICT & GTI for the handling of mixed EXIM rail containers. However with two new Terminals, NSIGT and BMCT coming up, the incumbent MoU seemed redundant. Moreover, JNPCT, NSICT & GTI terminal rail lines are in a close proximity to each other, whereas BMCT rail lines are at an average distance of 5 kms from JNPCT, NSICT & GTI lines. Hence the additional cost factor due to the large distance was a major hindrance to the ITRHO movement between BMCT and other Terminals. Hence a new ITRHO Agreement was designed and agreed upon by all Terminals (NSICT, GTI, NSIGT and BMCTPL) and will come into effect from 1st August, 2019.

The ITRHO agreement aims to maximize train placement, track productivity, efficiency, cost effective handling, reduce dwell time of import ICD boxes, connecting export ICD boxes to respective terminals in time and also increase rail quotient at JNPT.
The MoU clearly defines the role & responsibilities of the ‘Handling Terminal’ and the ‘Receiving Terminal’ to ensure safe and timely movement of the Import & Export rail containers along with the requisite guidelines to be adhered. The Terminal Traffic route as mutually agreed between the Terminal Operators shall be strictly followed and if there may be changes in routes due to infrastructure developments inside JN Port, all Terminals need to review the best route and mutually agree to use for ITRHO operations accordingly. Charges will be levied on Shipping Lines as per the existing ITRHO charges approved by TAMP under the new ITRHO agreement also.
Sharing a few words on this strategic development,Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPT said, “It is very encouraging to see collaborative effort and support extended by all the JNPort Terminals to come together and find solutions for impeding challenges we face in our business. Often there are bottlenecks due to operational limitations and the lack of co-ordination between parties causes delay in addressing these concerns which eventually hampers Trade. It is important that all stakeholders in our ecosystem co-operate to tackle such clogs in the system, because it will help in smoothening the overall Trade cycle and also enhance our efficiency, thus leading to better growth.”

This initiative was a success due to the keen involvement of Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPT who realized the immense benefit the new ITRHO Agreement would bring to all stakeholders especially JNPT’s customers and trade.

So this is a yet another significant move by JNPT to provide ease of doing business to the EXIM community and a big step forward, in its endeavour to be among the best Ports globally.