Customs brokers flag 72-hour delays at NMIA cargo hub

The Brihanmumbai Customs Brokers’ Association (BCBA) has written to the Chief Commissioner of Customs at the Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, seeking urgent intervention over what it calls serious operational deficiencies in the handling of import consignments at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) air cargo complex.

The letter, dated 1 October 2026, is addressed to the Chief Commissioner of Customs at the Air Cargo Complex (ACC), Sahar, and signed by BCBA president Paresh Thakkar. It is also copied to the Commissioner of Customs (Exports), ACC.

In the letter, the association requests the Chief Commissioner to take up the matter with the custodian, Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), part of Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), which is responsible for handling cargo at NMIA.

Complaints from the trade
The association said it has received several representations from its members since air cargo operations began at the new complex. These point to “substantial delays, inadequate manpower and handling infrastructure, lack of proper coordination and, in certain cases, improper storage and handling of valuable import cargo,” the letter said. BCBA summarised the trade’s concerns under six heads.

1. Delay in flight checking: The letter said flight checking of import cargo is being delayed by more than 72 hours in several instances. Such delays directly affect the timely filing and processing of Bills of Entry, resulting in “avoidable detention of cargo, increased transaction costs and disruption to the importers' supply chains.”

2. Shortage and inadequacy of manpower: Members have reported a shortage of operational staff for the volume of cargo being received. Some of the personnel deployed are “not adequately experienced or sufficiently familiar with the cargo-handling and trade-support requirements,” the association said. This makes it difficult for Customs Brokers and importers to get timely assistance and resolve operational issues.

3. Shortage of loaders, forklifts and supervisory staff: The trade has reported an apparent shortage of loaders, forklifts and trained forklift operators, supervisory personnel and adequately trained cargo-handling staff. BCBA warned that this could “increase the risk of damage to cargo as well as accidents involving workers, Customs Brokers, transporters and other persons operating within the cargo complex.” It also asked that "adequate first-aid facilities, an ambulance and appropriate medical assistance/doctors" be available within or close to the complex.

4. Delay in registration and PD account opening: Customs Brokers have reported delays in completing registration formalities with NMIAL, particularly in opening the PD Account. As a result, importers are reportedly unable to proceed with clearance even after cargo is otherwise ready for Customs clearance. The association said such delays at the custodian’s end have a “cascading effect on the entire clearance process,” leading to avoidable detention and additional costs.

5. Improper storage and exposure to rain: The letter described as “a matter of serious concern” reports that import consignments have been found in wet conditions. It said certain packages, including heavy and high-value consignments, were “allegedly kept in areas exposed to the open sky instead of being stored in an adequately covered and protected area.” Such exposure can seriously damage goods, lead to disputes over responsibility and cause substantial financial loss to importers. The issue, BCBA said, requires “immediate corrective action and proper accountability for safe custody and handling of imported cargo.”

6. Overall impact on trade: Taken together, the issues are causing “considerable hardship to importers, Customs Brokers, transporters and other stakeholders” using the facility. The letter noted that a new international air cargo facility exists to enable “efficient, safe and expeditious movement of cargo,” and warned of wider consequences if problems persist. “If operational deficiencies continue at the initial stage itself, it may adversely affect the confidence of the trade and result in avoidable congestion, detention, demurrage and other transaction costs,” it said.

Actions sought from the custodian
BCBA has asked the Chief Commissioner to advise the custodian to act immediately on the abnormal delays in flight checking and cargo availability, and to deploy enough properly trained manpower for the volume of cargo being handled. It wants sufficient loaders, forklifts, trained operators and competent supervisors on site, along with proper safety protocols and emergency medical facilities, including first aid, an ambulance and medical support. The association also called for registration and Permanent Deposit (PD) Account opening formalities for importers and Customs Brokers to be expedited.

On the cargo itself, BCBA asked that all import consignments, particularly heavy, sensitive and high-value ones, be stored under proper covered and secure conditions. It also wants a mechanism for prompt reporting and resolution of cargo-handling grievances raised by the trade. Finally, it asked for an immediate review of the overall cargo-handling arrangements at NMIA, so that the facility can provide “safe, efficient and time-bound cargo handling and clearance,”

The association urged the Chief Commissioner to treat the matter as urgent and issue the necessary directions to the custodian and NMIAL authorities “to rectify the deficiencies forthwith.”

BCBA also offered its support. “BCBA and its members would be pleased to extend their cooperation in identifying operational bottlenecks and facilitating a smooth transition and efficient functioning of the new facility,” the letter said.

Industry reaction
Since we published the story on Challenge Group’s decision to suspend freighter operations into NMIA because of operational challenges at the airport, industry reaction has pointed to the depth of those problems. Commenters acknowledge the airport’s potential, but say it does not yet have the operational capability to handle freighter volumes.

In comments on the story, one reader described NMIA as “chaos”, citing too few dollies, a scarcity of loaders, limited space for unloading and too few docks for offloading. The commenter claimed that cargo had been diverted to Ahmedabad and Delhi, causing revenue losses to the state and to airlines. They also said freighters were leaving with only 30 to 40 percent of capacity uplifted despite cargo being on hand, because there were no loaders or equipment to load it, and that heavy cargo was lying soaked in the rain. The commenter called for the issues to be streamlined on a war footing and urged the civil aviation ministry to reinstate freighters at Mumbai's primary airport (BOM) until NMIA is ready to handle the volumes.

Another commenter asked whether the industry was truly ready for the transition. They said Challenge Group had highlighted problems that the wider cargo industry faces at NMIA: dolly shortages, cargo stuck or not released, build-up and handling issues, congestion and coordination gaps. The commenter argued that the complete cargo ecosystem should have been operationally ready and tested before freighters moved, not just the runway. They invited airlines, ground handling agents, warehouses, freight forwarders and authorities to openly share their ground-level experience. While acknowledging NMIA’s huge potential, they said cargo reliability must come first.

Freighters continue to arrive
Despite the ongoing challenges, freighters continue to arrive at NMIA. On Saturday, an Atlas Air Worldwide Boeing 747-8F (N859GT) touched down at the airport for the first time, arriving from Liège. Atlas Air, the American cargo carrier recognised as a global leader in outsourced aviation logistics, operated the flight purely as a technical stop. No cargo was offloaded or loaded at NMIA during the visit. The freighter later departed for Taipei (TPE). The airline is expected to consider full cargo operations into and out of NMIA once conditions become favourable.