India's Shipping Minister Orders Transparency in Port Charges Amid West Asia Crisis

Government Acts Swiftly to Clear Cargo Backlog Amid West Asia Crisis

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday reviewed port operations and directed the Directorate General of Shipping to ensure complete transparency in shipping-related charges, warning that the ongoing crisis in West Asia must not become an opportunity for profiteering.

According to an official statement, the minister said that timely intervention by the government cleared 90% of the cargo backlog amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. The government's swift action restored port operations, minimizing trade disruption and ensuring that India's trade remains resilient.

The minister chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials and port authorities, noting that the evolving situation in West Asia had initially disrupted cargo movement and vessel traffic. However, coordinated and proactive measures ensured rapid stabilisation of port operations with minimal impact on trade.

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The minister reviewed port-wise operational status and expressed satisfaction over the significant improvement, acknowledging the efforts of port employees and authorities in preventing congestion during a critical time. He directed all port authorities to ensure that financial relief measures announced by the ministry, including waivers on ground rent and concessions on reefer charges, are passed on directly to stakeholders without delay or procedural bottlenecks.

The review also covered the functioning of grievance redressal mechanisms at ports, with Sonowal directing officials to strengthen systems to ensure swift resolution of stakeholder concerns during such disruptions. Innovative operational measures, enhanced yard capacity, and coordinated logistics planning played a crucial role in addressing the backlog.

The ongoing crisis in West Asia, which has seen US-Israel's attacks on Iran and Tehran's sweeping retaliation, has all but halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane that is the conduit for oil and gas exports from Gulf countries to the world. Iran has, however, stated that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the waterway after coordinating with Iranian authorities.

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