NSCIT handled 3,51,475 TEUs, which is a 112 per cent increase over the minimum assurance for the 12-month period ended April 4th, 2000.

NSICT, the first private container terminal to be awarded the 30-year licence to maintain a 600 metre container terminal on BOT, started functioning on April 4, 1999. JNPT continues to receive an average royalty of Rs 47 per container from Nhava Sheva International Container TerminalJawaharlal Nehra Port Trust , on the other hand, during the same period managed 5,46,791 TEUs (excluding NSICT) at its container terminal as against 6,69,108 TEUs for the previous year - a fall of 22.3 per cent over the previous year.

JNPT, however does not consider this as a wake up call. "We will have an equal share in the container business two years down the line", JNPT, chief manager (operations), M.Sumitra Rao said.

Rao expects the container traffic to increase in the next few years, which will enable both the players to receive adequate business. During the first year of its operations, Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal has established a new benchmark in India by achieving a record vessel turnaround time and a gross ship rate of over 100 moves per hour.

NSICT has been successful in sourcing more business by signing up with the major shipping lines. The tariff cost also results in a savings of around Rs 1,200 per TEU, an Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal release said.