Dear Valued Customer,
At Freight Systems, we believe in keeping you informed of developments that may affect your shipments.
We would like to highlight two current developments affecting the Mumbai air cargo network:
• Increased congestion and longer truck turnaround times at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA/BOM) cargo complex.
• The temporary suspension of dedicated freighter operations at CSMIA from August 2026 through May 2027 in connection with major airport infrastructure works.
These conditions may affect trucking lead times, cargo acceptance and flight cut-off compliance for shipments routed through Mumbai. At the same time, dedicated freighter activity is progressively shifting toward Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), with selected airlines already commencing or transitioning freighter operations there.
Current Situation
• Recent industry reports have cited truck waiting times of approximately 24–48 hours, with severe cases reportedly reaching up to 72 hours at the BOM air cargo complex.
• The congestion has been associated with elevated cargo volumes, increased movement of time-sensitive and non-standard cargo, and operational constraints at the cargo terminal. MIAL has acknowledged the higher cargo volumes and stated that it is monitoring the situation and deploying additional manpower and equipment to support peak processing periods.
• Extended truck and terminal processing times may increase the risk of missing cargo acceptance or airline cut-off times, which could result in cargo being rolled over to a later flight or requiring revised routing.
• CSMIA has temporarily suspended dedicated freighter operations from August 2026 through May 2027 to facilitate major infrastructure works, including runway rehabilitation, taxiway development and reconstruction of the dedicated freighter apron.
• This suspension applies specifically to dedicated freighter operations. Cargo carried on passenger aircraft continues to operate, subject to individual airline schedules, capacity and operational conditions.
• Dedicated freighter operations are progressively being introduced or relocated to NMIA. International freighter activity at NMIA is already underway, with carriers including Hong Kong Air Cargo and Silk Way West Airlines operating cargo services from the new airport.
• Depending on the trade lane and service requirements, alternative gateways such as NMIA, Ahmedabad (AMD), Delhi (DEL), Bengaluru (BLR) and Hyderabad (HYD) may also be considered.
Potential Impact on Your Shipments
Customers moving cargo through Mumbai should consider the possibility of:
• Longer and less predictable trucking lead times into BOM. Additional schedule buffer may be required ahead of cargo acceptance and airline cut-off deadlines.
• An increased risk of missed cut-offs, potentially resulting in rebooking, cargo rollovers or revised routing.
• Potentially tighter capacity on selected lanes and services, particularly where dedicated freighter capacity has been relocated or where alternative gateways are required.
• Changes to planned transit times depending on the origin, destination, airline, commodity, service and selected gateway.
• Greater operational sensitivity for time-critical, high-value, pharmaceutical, temperature-sensitive and perishable shipments, where delays or changes in handling arrangements may have a greater impact.
Freight Systems’ Recommended Actions
To minimise potential disruption to your supply chain, Freight Systems recommends:
• Tendering export cargo earlier than usual and allowing additional time for trucking, terminal entry and cargo acceptance at BOM.
• Confirming cargo acceptance, carting and terminal arrangements in advance wherever applicable.
• For time-critical or high-value shipments, discussing with your Freight Systems account manager whether NMIA or another alternative gateway may be appropriate for the specific origin, destination and service requirements.
• Reviewing upcoming bookings that have historically relied on dedicated freighter capacity from BOM and identifying alternative uplift options where necessary.
• Highlighting temperature-sensitive, urgent or critical shipments at the time of booking so that contingency routing and capacity options can be assessed in advance.
• Allowing for possible changes in transit times and, where applicable, additional trucking or operational costs arising from alternative routing requirements.
Freight Systems is closely monitoring developments at BOM and NMIA, including cargo terminal conditions, carrier operations, available capacity and trucking constraints. We are working proactively with our airline, trucking and ground-handling partners to secure appropriate capacity, evaluate alternative routing options and minimise the potential impact on customer shipments.
Where operational conditions present a material risk to a shipment, our teams will work with customers to assess the available options, including alternative gateways, airlines, uplift schedules and contingency routing.
As the Mumbai cargo network continues to transition during the August 2026–May 2027 CSMIA dedicated-freighter suspension period, we will continue to monitor developments and provide further updates as required.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation and remain committed to supporting the continuity and reliability of your air freight supply chain.
Regards
Team Freight Systems
