In view of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the resulting disruption in maritime trade routes, the Office of the Commissioner of Customs, NS-II at Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House (JNCH), Nhava Sheva has introduced a temporary procedure to facilitate the “Back to Town” (BTT) movement of export cargo where the Export General Manifest (EGM) has not been filed.
The notice highlights that the geopolitical situation has led to suspension of bookings by major shipping lines and the closure of certain Gulf ports, leaving a significant volume of export shipments stranded at terminals, Container Freight Stations (CFS), and the Container Parking Plaza (CPP) at JNCH. To reduce congestion at port facilities and ease the burden on exporters, customs authorities have introduced procedural relaxations for exporters seeking to move their cargo back to their premises.
Under the revised procedure, exporters or their authorised Customs Brokers must approach the concerned Assistant or Deputy Commissioner at the respective CFS or CPP to request BTT permission. Customs officers will verify the electronic seal (e-seal) for self-sealed containers or the customs bottle seal for dock-stuffed containers by matching the seal details with the shipping bill and stuffing records. If the seal is found intact, permission for BTT will be granted without further cargo examination in the case of containers located at the CPP.
For containers located at CFS facilities, the goods will be destuffed and inspection of the individual lots corresponding to the shipping bills will be carried out. Importantly, the notice clarifies that physical examination requirements for such shipping bills have been waived, a step aimed at expediting cargo evacuation and preventing additional handling costs for exporters.
The customs department has also announced that BTT-related fees or penalties under the Customs Act, 1962 will be waived for the affected shipments due to the exceptional circumstances arising from the regional conflict. The measure is expected to provide relief to exporters whose consignments have been stranded due to cancelled sailings and shipping disruptions.
According to the public notice, the relaxed procedure will come into effect immediately and remain operational until further orders or until shipping operations in the affected region return to normal. All other procedural requirements under earlier public notices that are not inconsistent with this relaxation will continue to apply.
Notification Details
Public Notice No. 31/2026
Date: 06.03.2026
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