India’s premier container port — Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) on Monday commenced the dwarf container train service from the west coast port to the hinterland in Kanpur, 495 km South of New Delhi.
The dwarf containers are lesser in height by 660 mm than normal intermodal (ISO) containers, giving them a logistical edge and the trailers with such containers can pass through rural, semi-urban and urban roads, through limited height subways and level crossing in electrified sections, said the port in a statement.
These containers provide a 67 percent increase in volume when double-stacked and can carry a weight of 71 tons, against 40 tons by an ISO container.
Indian Railways has also offered a 17 percent discount on haulage cost compared to double stack ISO container trains, resulting in an overall 33 percent discount to shippers.
Currently the trade is facing a shortage of ISO containers for exports and this initiative can be a game-changer as the turnaround time of containers will come down from month to few days as the import laden ISO containers need not go all the way to the hinterland.
Source: Xinhua