The Hindu Business Line : CDLB revises on-board handling charges

THE Calcutta Dock Labour Board (CDLB) has rationalised on-board handling charges in respect of empties (empty containers) as well as mechanical handling of bulk cargoes such as fertilizers, rock phosphate, sulphur and pulses.

The revised rates, already ratified by the board, have come into force. The on-board handling charge for the empties has been slashed to Rs 700 from Rs 1,150 per TEU on an average. Together with services charges, the effective reduction, it is estimated, will be about Rs 468 per TEU. The reduction in charges, it is felt, will boost the availability of the empties and therefore facilitate exports.

Follwing rationalisation, the on-board (mechanical) handling charges for dry bulk cargo has been fixed at the flat rate of Rs 55 per tonne. Earlier, the rates, which were productivity-linked, were different for different cargoes and varied between Rs 150 and Rs 300 per tonne. These rates, fixed at a time when the bulk of the handling was manual, have little relevance today as mechanical handling has by and large replaced manual handling. The stuffing and destuffing charges too have been rationalised. Earlier, the rates ranged from a low of Rs 2,700 to as high as Rs 4,100 per TEU depending on the number of containers handled. Not any more. Currently, there will be only two types of rates - Rs 3,400 per TEU if the number of containers handled is more than five and Rs 3,600 per TEU if the number is less than five.

If the stuffing and destuffing operations are undertaken in the port's own container freight station where fewer dock labour board workers are employed, the rates will be even cheaper by 20 per cent.