Mumbai customs brokers seek urgent fix to NMIA cargo delays

In a letter dated 1 October 2026 to the Chief Commissioner of Customs at the Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, with a copy to the Commissioner of Customs (Exports), BCBA president Paresh Thakkar asked that the matter be taken up with custodian Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), part of Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL). The association said it had received representations from members since air cargo operations began at the new complex.

BCBA listed six concerns: flight checking of import cargo delayed by more than 72 hours in several instances, affecting Bills of Entry; a shortage of operational staff, with some personnel not adequately experienced; a shortage of loaders, forklifts, trained operators and supervisors, raising risks of cargo damage and accidents; delays in NMIAL registration and PD Account opening that prevent clearance even when cargo is otherwise ready; reports of import consignments in wet conditions, with heavy and high-value packages allegedly kept in areas exposed to the open sky; and the overall hardship for importers, brokers and transporters, including risks of congestion, detention and demurrage.

The association sought immediate action on flight-checking and cargo-availability delays, sufficient trained manpower and equipment, safety protocols and emergency medical support including first aid, an ambulance and doctors, faster registration and PD Account formalities, covered and secure storage for all import consignments, a grievance-resolution mechanism and an immediate review of cargo-handling arrangements at NMIA. BCBA offered to cooperate in identifying bottlenecks.

After a report on Challenge Group’s decision to suspend freighter operations into NMIA due to operational challenges, industry comments cited too few dollies, a scarcity of loaders, limited unloading space and too few docks, cargo diverted to Ahmedabad and Delhi, freighters leaving with only 30 to 40 percent of capacity uplifted and heavy cargo soaked in rain; one commenter urged reinstating freighters at Mumbai’s primary airport (BOM) until NMIA is ready. Freighters continue to arrive: on Saturday an Atlas Air Worldwide Boeing 747-8F (N859GT) touched down at NMIA from Liège for the first time as a technical stop, with no cargo loaded or unloaded, then departed for Taipei (TPE); the airline is expected to consider full cargo operations when conditions become favourable.