The Chennai Export Cargo Terminal encountered operational disruptions on Friday due to a significant overflow of cargo, prompting a brief closure of its gates and causing inconvenience to cargo agents and exporters alike.
According to the Regional Chairman of the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) for the southern region, the incident highlighted recurring inefficiencies in terminal operations that have impacted agents severely. He pointed out that the typical process of cargo delivery, customs clearance, and loading onto flights usually takes 3-4 hours. However, due to the unexpected pile-up, some agents were unable to meet flight deadlines, resulting in missed flights and the redirection of urgent shipments to alternate airports like Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. An official from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) attributed the root cause of the issue to overbooking of cargo, which disrupted the regular flow of operations. “Overbooking of cargo undermines the timely clearance process. To ensure smooth operations, there needs to be stricter regulation and periodic management of export cargo bookings and clearances,” the official emphasized. Responding to the incident, an official from AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Ltd. (AAICLAS) clarified that the terminal gate closure was a necessary measure to regulate truck movements and manage the congestion within the warehouse. “Due to the sudden influx of cargo leading to warehouse congestion, we temporarily closed the gate to reorganize truck movements. Fortunately, the issue was swiftly resolved, and operations resumed shortly thereafter,” the official assured.
The disruption at the Chennai Export Cargo Terminal underscores the critical need for streamlined logistics management and infrastructure optimization to prevent future occurrences. As Chennai continues to play a pivotal role in India’s export economy, stakeholders are calling for proactive measures to enhance terminal efficiency, mitigate operational risks, and uphold service reliability for exporters across the region.
