Inland Container Depot (ICD)
An Inland Container Depot (ICD), often called a dry port, is a customs-notified facility located inland — away from the gateway seaport — where containers are received, stored, stuffed and de-stuffed, and where full customs clearance takes place. Importers and exporters near an ICD can clear cargo there instead of at the congested port, with the containers moving between the port and the ICD under customs bond, usually by rail.
ICDs extend the reach of a seaport deep into the hinterland, bringing customs clearance, Container Freight Station (CFS) functions and container handling closer to where cargo actually originates or is consumed. In a large country like India, ICDs are central to moving containerised trade to and from inland industrial centres.
For an inland factory, clearing and handling containers at a nearby ICD instead of the coastal port cuts road haulage, port congestion and dwell time. ICDs are what make containerised import and export practical far from the sea — a core piece of India's logistics network.
What is the difference between an ICD and a CFS?
An ICD is a standalone inland customs port that can handle full clearance and rail movement; a CFS is primarily a container-handling and stuffing/de-stuffing facility, often attached to a port or ICD.
How do containers reach an ICD?
They move between the seaport and the ICD under customs bond, typically by rail, and are cleared at the ICD.