Shortage of empty containers at the CONCOR’s inland container depot (ICD) at MIHAN had disrupted the export and import trade of the region about six months back. Today, the trade is once again suffering and the exporters and importers are facing hardship. However the current disruption is not because of the shortage but because of an excess of empty containers. For the past two to three months, the region has been witnessing less export than import due to which the number of empty containers has gone up in the Mihan.

Besides, there are a couple of other reasons that are collectively impacting the trade for the past few days.

The facility of CONCOR at Mihan is struggling to handle the increased load of container movement in the current situation while shortage of infrastructure is also adding to the woes of the exporters and importers.

One of the shipping agents, on the condition of anonymity, told The Hitavada that the exporters and importers are facing inconvenience. “The importers are not receiving their consignments on time. At the same time, exporters also have to wait for considerable time,” he added. As the authorities have dumped the increased number of containers in the limited space, handling of the containers has become a big challenge for them.

Santosh Kumar Singh, Chief Manager of Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR), confirmed that a large number of empty containers are lying in the yard in Mihan which are occupying huge space. “But it is part of the trade and we are taking all possible steps to streamline the operations here,” he said.

As of now, there are about 9,500 containers laying in the yard of CONCOR in Mihan out of which 7,000 containers are empty. But Singh said that there is no disruption in the trade. “There is a slight delay in some of the cases but it is only because of the sudden hike in the number of container handling. At present, we are handling more than 11,000 containers in a month which is a record of its kind,” he said.

Singh also said that the CONCOR has been consistently improving its infrastructure to take care of the increased load. CONCOR has recently added three new reach stackers to the existing set of four in Mihan.

Reach stacker is a specially designed vehicle used for handling and lifting cargo containers at the terminals or ports.