In a bid to simplify and streamline the import cycle of terminal operations, APM Terminals (APMT) Mumbai has become the first Indian container terminal to introduce an online import delivery process.
Following the success of the export e-form 13, it is expecting to reduce gate waiting times and congestion, as well as enable faster container movements into and out of the terminal.
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The paperless method provides shipping lines with an electronic export form for export containers entering the terminal by truck.
Mumbai and the Jawharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) complex handled a record 4.48 million TEU in 2015, with APMT Mumbai being the busiest of the four terminals, handling 43% of the port complex’s container volumes for the year.
Ravi Gaitonde, COO at APMT Mumbai, said: “By going live with the import delivery cycle, APMT Mumbai has once again become a pioneer in providing transparency in the supply chain and ease of doing business.”
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The web-based application allows Container Freight Stations (CFS) registered with the terminal to get real-time updates on the status of import deliveries.
PIN numbers are established for an online submission of the tractor trailer number and cell phone number of the driver, triggering an SMS text message to the driver’s cellular number, which contains all the information concerning the shipment and PIN numbers.
The application also has a feature for the CFS to generate a report, which lists all transaction events against the PINs generated for the selected period.
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Umesh Grover, Secretary General of the Container Freight Stations Association of India (CFSAI), said: “The feedback received from our CFS members is very encouraging and the system is user-friendly.”
