Chennai, India’s second-largest container hub after Nhava Sheva, has been confronted with severe terminal congestion and berthing delays over the past two-and-a-half months, prompting shippers and carriers to divert cargo to other gateway ports in the region.
NYK’s surcharges will be $140 per 20-foot container and $280 per 40-foot container.
“NYK Line will be monitoring the situation and appropriate revision will be made as and when necessary,” the carrier said.
The charges starting Oct. 21 follow an $85 per-TEU surcharge announcement by French carrier CMA-CGM on all cargo moving to and from the southeastern hub, effective Sept. 1.
Meanwhile, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Hapag-Lloyd hiked their Chennai congestion fees to $75 per TEU and $150 per FEU, and $100 and $200, respectively, as of Sept. 1, citing a continued deterioration in port conditions.
“The situation at Chennai Port is still pathetic. It is expected to take at least two to three months for some real improvement,” a leading shipping line agent said.
According to a port update as of Monday morning, the terminal yard inventory totaled more than 19,000 TEUs with imports accounting for about 12,500 TEUs.