News / Indian shippers and carriers in war of words over box trade imbalance

Indian exporters have slammed shipping lines over the country’s continuing container shortage and soaring freight rates – but carriers say the worsening trade imbalance is to blame.

Last week, the Engineering Export Promotion Council of India called on the government to set up a regulator to rein-in what it claimed were “monopolistic” practices of shipping lines.

And on Wednesday, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said the lack of available export containers was jeopardising delivery commitments to foreign buyers.

“For the last ...