FFFAI flags off INSTC dry run containers from Nhava Sheva

Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) will commence on the international North South transport corridor (INSTC). FFFAI is executing a dry run study with regard to the bottlenecks on the INSTC route on behalf of the ministry of commerce wherein two containers will be moved from Nhava Sheva on the following two routes:

• Nhava Sheva - Bandar Abbas by sea, Bandar Abbas-Baku by road.
• Nhava Sheva-Bandar Abbas by sea, Bandar Abbas-Amirabad by rail and further transhipped to Astrakhan through Caspian Sea.

Applauding FFFAI team’s efforts, Seema Bisht, Commissioner of Customs Nhava Sheva, said such a project would benefit the trade in reducing transit time and cost. Custom brokers, freight forwarders should take a lead to popularise and work on this route as the same takes half the travel time taken than presently on the traditional route, as against shipping cargo to St Petersburg or Poti and thereafter moving the same to the CIS landlocked countries.

Rajiv Kapoor, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Nhava Sheva mentioned that the success of this dry run study will be a good opportunity for the trade to promote their products in CIS/Russia in the light of a new cost and transit time. Also it is challenging adventure to conduct the study for the FFFAI and wished the team all the best for their study. He also stated that it was good to witness the project being launched and the importance of other countries participation in promoting this route in co-operation for mutual benefits.

Shankar Shinde, Vice Chairman, FFFAI leading the project welcomed and thanked the commissioner for her presence and blessing, which was a great honour to the team and her kind words to boost confidence of the travel team. He further briefed the members on the dry run study to be undertaken on this INSTC route. He also informed that members should participate and to provide inputs with regard to the issues faced on this route which can be integrated for the study and implementation purpose.

Pankaj Shah, Vice President, BCHAA spoke on the cross trade opportunities between CIS, Russia, Iran and India during the interaction session on the INSTC route. He had also been the part of initial study participant on the INSTC Study.