Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal virtually flagged off the dwarf container train service on 20-09-2021 from Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), the biggest container port in India located off Mumbai. With this, the first consignment of laden dwarf containers from Dwarf Container Depot (DCD) at the port was being moved by train to Inland Container Depot Kanpur.
The Hindu mythology talks about Mahabali (Bali Chakravarthy), the Asura, who grows too big for his boots. In a ceremony where he is giving away gifts, Lord Vishnu appears disguised as Vamana, a dwarf, and asks him three paces of land, and Mahabali agrees. Immediately, Vamana assumes the shape of a giant. With one step he covers the Earth, with another the Heaven, and for the third Mahabali offers his head, which Vamana steps on, sending him to the Paatala (the Netherworld). Similarly, the vamana (or the ‘dwarf’ container‘), is the Indian Railways’ initiative that is expected to grow into a giant, capturing high-end traffic it lost to the road sector over the years when, in the 1980s, end-to-end running of block rakes was introduced.
Dwarf containers are 6 ft 4 inches in
height and can run on electrified tracks. Despite being smaller in size, the
dwarf containers can hold a capacity of 30,500 kgs.
Dwarf containers are 660 mm less in height compared to ISO containers, giving them a logistical edge. The low height of dwarf containers loaded on trailers allows them to pass through rural, semi-urban and urban roads, limited height subways and level crossings in electrified sections.
Dwarf containers also provide a 67 per cent increase in volume when double-stacked and can carry a weight of 71 tons, as against 40 tons by an ISO container. The Indian Railways has offered a 17 per cent discount on haulage cost compared to double stack ISO container trains, resulting in an overall 33 per cent discount to shippers, making Indian Railways competitive.
Dwarf Container Vs ISO Container
Presently, due to its height, the regular double stack ISO containers can run only on few chosen routes on Indian Railways but these short-heighted Double Containers can run on most tracks very easily. These containers in double stack formation can run under 25kV overhead lines. With the use of these double-stack dwarf containers, the cost of the unit will be significantly reduced due to the rail transport being cheaper than the road.
Currently, 'Low Density Products', such as plastic granules, PVC polyester fabric, white goods, FMCG products, polyethylene, auto car, etc. are being transported mostly by road, but due to the low cost of transportation in dwarf containers, Railways now offers a viable transport. At the general freight rate, the double-stack dwarf container trains can generate more than 50% of the revenue.
The untapped potential of dwarf containers
Dwarf containers are 660 mm less in height compared to ISO containers, giving them a logistical edge. The low height of dwarf containers loaded on trailers allows them to pass through rural, semi-urban and urban roads, limited height subways and level crossings in electrified sections.
Dwarf containers also provide a 67 per cent increase in volume when double-stacked and can carry a weight of 71 tons, as against 40 tons by an ISO container. The Indian Railways has offered a 17 per cent discount on haulage cost compared to double stack ISO container trains, resulting in an overall 33 per cent discount to shippers, making Indian Railways competitive.
Dwarf Container Vs ISO Container
Presently, due to its height, the regular double stack ISO containers can run only on few chosen routes on Indian Railways but these short-heighted Double Containers can run on most tracks very easily. These containers in double stack formation can run under 25kV overhead lines. With the use of these double-stack dwarf containers, the cost of the unit will be significantly reduced due to the rail transport being cheaper than the road.
Currently, 'Low Density Products', such as plastic granules, PVC polyester fabric, white goods, FMCG products, polyethylene, auto car, etc. are being transported mostly by road, but due to the low cost of transportation in dwarf containers, Railways now offers a viable transport. At the general freight rate, the double-stack dwarf container trains can generate more than 50% of the revenue.
The rail movement of cargo through
dwarf containers has the potential to lower export-import logistics costs. The port is also expected to gain steadily
from the implementation of the dwarf container train services from JNPT.
Speaking at the inaugural event,
Sonowal said, “The commencement of dwarf container train services from JNPT is
a pivotal step towards streamlining rail movement of cargo via double-stacked dwarf
containers. This will give the community a competitive cost advantage by
lowering hinterland logistical costs, while simultaneously enhancing rail cargo
traffic at JNPT. Dwarf containers are port-friendly and can be manufactured in
India at a cost-efficient price point, thereby opening up opportunities for
Make in India.”
A location within the JNPT container terminal has been identified for the establishment of Dwarf Container Depot, where cargo transfers from ISO containers to dwarf containers would be done, thereby making available empty ISO containers at the port for export repositioning.
A location within the JNPT container terminal has been identified for the establishment of Dwarf Container Depot, where cargo transfers from ISO containers to dwarf containers would be done, thereby making available empty ISO containers at the port for export repositioning.
Currently, there is a shortage of ISO containers for export, and this initiative will help bring down the turnaround time of containers from a month to a few days, as import-laden ISO containers need not go all the way to the hinterland.
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