22 August,2026 07:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The first rake left Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at 7pm on August 21. Pic/Special Arrangement
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has started its first long-haul double-stack rake operation on the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), marking an important step in improving rail connectivity and the movement of export-import (EXIM) cargo from the port, an official statement said on Saturday.
The first rake left Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at 7pm on August 21, carrying 360 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of import cargo that had arrived through Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals Private Limited (BMCTPL), operated by PSA. The rake was bound for the Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal of Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) at Varnama (CGMV) in Gujarat, it said.
Double-stack trains allow containers to be carried in two layers, enabling more cargo to be moved in a single rake. The introduction of long-haul double-stack services is therefore expected to improve the capacity and efficiency of rail freight movement from JNPA, officials said.
For import cargo, the improved rail connectivity can help speed up evacuation from the port, reduce container dwell times and shorten transit times to inland destinations.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also shared the development on X.
He wrote that the Indian Railways has operated its first 1.3-km-long double-stack container train on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, marking a major step in India's freight transportation network.
The train travelled from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) in Mumbai to Vadodara, Gujarat, carrying containers in a double-stack formation.
According to the statement, the new service strengthens JNPA's ability to handle high-capacity, long-distance rail freight. It also provides an efficient alternative to road transportation for moving EXIM cargo over longer distances.
Better use of the DFC network is expected to improve cargo flows between the gateway port and key inland locations. More predictable rail movement could also help importers, exporters and logistics companies manage their supply chains more efficiently.
The successful movement highlights JNPA's growing rail infrastructure and its readiness to support long-haul and double-stack freight operations.
Faster evacuation of containers can help reduce congestion and logistics bottlenecks at the port while allowing cargo to reach inland destinations more quickly. This could also support better inventory planning for businesses handling imported goods.
The development is part of JNPA's wider efforts to improve cargo handling, evacuation and connectivity. Greater integration with the Dedicated Freight Corridor is expected to strengthen the port's links with inland markets and support more efficient multimodal freight movement.
The first long-haul double-stack DFC rake is another step towards building a faster, more reliable and competitive logistics network for India's international trade.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is one of India's leading container ports and a major gateway for the country's EXIM trade.
