India’s container terminal APM Terminals Mumbai has accepted the Direct Port Delivery service initiated by the Indian government as part of its “Ease of Doing Business Program” to enhance the country’s access to the global logistics chain.

In the past, import containers were sent to Container Freight Stations (CFS) 1-1.5 days after arriving by vessel. Depending on the completion of import procedures and clearances with shipping lines, custom house agents, Customs, consignees and CFS operators, the cargo was then delivered to the end user after an average dwell time of 9- 10 days.

APM Terminals said that with DPD, these can be bypassed through a streamlined procedure, allowing import containers to be delivered directly from the port with an average dwell time of only 1.5 days.

“We are committed to support ‘Ease of Doing Business’ initiative the Government of India has championed. We were among the first terminal operators in India to offer Direct Port Delivery service in 2006 and since then have continued to support the reforms and initiatives of the Indian Ministry of Shipping and JNP, as well as the Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House,” APM Terminals Mumbai CEO Kamal Jain, said.

Containerized trade has expanded at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 10% percent over the past ten years in India, and is projected to continue growing at a similar pace as India undertakes infrastructure expansion projects.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port, serving Mumbai, is India’s busiest container port, accounting for 44% of the country’s containerized cargo traffic of 10 million TEUs in 2015.

APM Terminals Mumbai’s 2015 container throughput was 1.9 million TEUs.