PSA Mumbai to gain direct DFC connectivity by 2025 end: Ashwin Arvind

PSA Mumbai Terminal, also known as Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals (BMCT), recently inaugurated its landmark Phase 2 expansion, a development that has doubled its annual container handling capacity to 4.8 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).

This project included the addition of 1,000 meters of berth length, creating a continuous 2,000-meter quay. The expanded infrastructure now allows the terminal to simultaneously handle several large containerships, significantly boosting its operational capacity and efficiency.

Speaking with Indian Transport and Logistics News, Ashwin Arvind, Deputy Executive Director of PSA Mumbai shared insights of the recent inauguration of the Phase 2 terminal. Edited Experts:

With the recent inauguration of Phase 2, can you share PSA's broader investment outlook for India? Are you planning to make more investments in the country?
We continue to pursue a focused investment strategy aimed at strengthening our presence in India. Where we identify strong opportunities, we will certainly consider them. To date, PSA has invested S $1.7 billion (approximately US $1.3 billion) in developing PSA Mumbai, Singapore’s largest foreign direct investment in India’s port sector. This underscores our confidence in India’s economic growth and its increasingly important role in global trade networks.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming Vadhavan Port project? Is PSA considering a potential partnership or investment in this new mega-port?
We are actively exploring opportunities at the proposed Vadhavan mega-port as part of our strategy to expand our presence in India. The project has significant potential to enhance the country’s container handling capacity, and we are evaluating participation through public-private partnership frameworks or build-operate-transfer models. This interest aligns with our strategic focus on strengthening India’s maritime infrastructure while leveraging the expertise we have gained from operating major container facilities globally. Our assessment of Vadhavan underscores PSA’s commitment to supporting India’s long-term trade growth objectives.

The Phase 2 expansion has been a major milestone. What is the new total annual container throughput of PSA Mumbai, and how does this position the terminal in the Indian and global context?
With the completion of Phase 2, PSA Mumbai’s annual handling capacity has doubled to 4.8 million TEUs, making it India’s largest standalone container terminal. This expansion represents roughly 50% of JNPT’s total container capacity, positioning Mumbai as a key hub for handling growing cargo volumes from western India’s industrial regions.

The terminal features a 2,000-metre continuous quay, the longest in India, with the capability to accommodate ultra-large container vessels of up to 18,000 TEUs and 400 metres in length. This advanced infrastructure reduces the need for vessel diversions and costly transhipments at foreign ports, directly benefiting Indian exporters and importers.

PSA is known for its cutting-edge technology. Could you walk us through the technological advancements that have been implemented at PSA Mumbai, particularly with the Phase 2 expansion?
We have implemented comprehensive digitalisation across terminal operations. Our technology deployment includes smart yard planning systems that optimise container placement and retrieval, coupled with real-time cargo visibility tools that improve operational efficiency and reduce turnaround times.

Our terminal employs optical character recognition systems at entry gates and quay cranes to accelerate truck and vessel processing. We utilise automated yard cranes that enhance both safety and productivity whilst reducing manual intervention requirements.

Predictive analytics support our yard planning and equipment deployment decisions, creating more efficient resource allocation.

Furthermore, our customer-facing digital interfaces offer proactive updates and seamless documentation processing, enhancing service delivery and operational transparency throughout the cargo handling process.

With the completion of Phase 2, how many jobs have been created, and what types of roles are these? How will this expansion continue to contribute to job creation in the port and logistics sector?
Our Phase 2 expansion has generated approximately 1,500 new employment opportunities across various skill levels, including technical roles such as crane operators and systems analysts, as well as supervisory and administrative positions.

We maintain strong community engagement, with nearly 85% of our employees sourced from local areas, directly supporting regional economic development.

Additionally, we invest in workforce development through upskilling initiatives, safety training programmes, and technology-focused education partnerships with local institutes and maritime training organisations, ensuring long-term contributions to the port and logistics sector.

To know more details of Phase 2 read here.

The upcoming Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) is a game-changer for Indian logistics. How will the DFC specifically benefit PSA Mumbai's operations and its customers?
PSA Mumbai currently operates six of the eight DFC-ready rail sidings at JNPT, with a capacity to handle up to 1.5 million TEUs via rail connections. By late 2025, our terminal will have direct connectivity to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, enabling double-stack container services that will significantly reduce transit times.

This multimodal integration delivers substantial cost and time advantages to our customers, with rail links extending to over 63 inland container depots across India. The enhanced rail infrastructure strengthens supply chain resilience and provides predictable, efficient cargo movement options for Indian businesses.

In what ways is PSA Mumbai helping to strengthen and improve the overall logistics ecosystem in India?
PSA Mumbai acts as a key hub, providing connectivity to over 63 inland container depots and maintaining strong rail-road integration across India. Our terminal will also have direct connectivity to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) by late 2025, enabling faster, more efficient cargo movement across the country.

These capabilities, combined with our infrastructure and operational standards, help set higher benchmarks for national logistics performance. We actively invest in ecosystem development through innovative digital solutions, enhanced connectivity infrastructure, and collaborative stakeholder engagement.

As part of PSA International’s global network, the terminal offers seamless access to major international trade routes and supports integrated logistics solutions through partnerships with PSA Ameya and PSA BDP.

How do you collaborate with other players in the supply chain, from shipping lines to transporters and freight forwarders, to create a more efficient system?
At PSA Mumbai, we adopt collaborative operational models that work closely with shipping lines, transporters, and freight forwarders to optimise cargo flow and efficiency.

Through digital enablement and integrated service delivery, our customer service initiatives position PSA Mumbai as a comprehensive logistics solutions provider. This collaborative approach also extends to broader stakeholder engagement, supporting efforts to transform India’s logistics ecosystem.

Sustainability is a growing priority for the industry. Could you walk us through PSA Mumbai's sustainability initiatives
Since January 2024, PSA Mumbai has become India’s first container terminal powered entirely by renewable electricity, aligning with India’s Maritime Amrit Kaal vision for sustainable port operations.

Our environmental strategy includes: progressive electrification of diesel-powered equipment; implementation of energy-efficient yard cranes; Development of shore power infrastructure for future vessel connections. These initiatives support PSA International’s Net Zero by 2050 commitment and reflect our belief that sustainability is critical to enabling India’s responsible, long-term trade growth.