Increasing freight costs, container shortages threaten exports: GTRI

Increasing freight costs, shortage of containers and dependence on major shipping hubs and foreign carriers pose serious challenges to the country's exports, think tank GTRI said on Sunday.

To address these challenges, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) recommended that India implement several strategies to boost domestic container production, enhance the role of local shipping companies, promote use of domestic containers, and strengthen local shipping firms.

"India can lower its risk of global supply chain disruptions by boosting domestic container production, encouraging the use of locally made containers, and increasing the use of Indian shipping companies for transporting goods," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.

Between 2022 and 2024, shipping rates for a 40-foot container have fluctuated significantly.

It said that in 2022, the average cost was USD 4,942 due to the lingering effects of the covid pandemic, while by 2024, the rate had stabilized around USD 4,775, it