The Hindu Business Line : Traffic at Rajiv Gandhi box terminal restored — Steamer agents defer 'congestion surcharge' plan

THE containerised cargo movement through the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal (RGCT) of the Kochi Port, which was disrupted following congestion, has become normal, following the emergency measures taken by the port management to tide over the crisis.

The Deputy Chairman, Mr A. Janardhana Rao, told Business Line that the port had introduced the system of allowing carting of containers for one vessel belonging to a particular consortium at a time, and steamer agents are to simultaneously release the empty containers from the container yard.

This has eased the congestion of export containers at the gate.

Likewise, export containers have been allowed to enter through the RGCT main gate, while import containers were routed through the Import Container Freight Station (CFS) Gate so that there is no obstruction to flow.

Similarly, trailers inside the terminal were monitored strictly for immediate despatch after the off-loading and accordingly, congestion was eased inside the terminal, he said.

It has also been decided to service only three container vessels at any given time in the port to reduce the dwell time of export containers. The entry of containers into the terminal for the next voyage of a consortium/vessel would be permitted only on sailing of the present vessel. The reefer exporters and custom house agents have been instructed to cart the containers to the terminal on registration and confirmation of plug point availability, he said and added that 20 more reefer plug points would be in place within three days.

The Deputy Chairman was confidentthat all these efforts would result in ensuring a snag-free and smooth operation at RGCT. He also requested the co-operation of all port users till the Dubai Ports takes over the terminal, augments the facilities with new equipment and infrastructure and develops an international container transhipment terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam.

According to Mr Rao, the port had not augmented any additional equipment or infrastructure at the existing terminal, in the wake of the impending privatisation and handing over of the same to Dubai Ports, which hasbeen issued with a Letter of Intent (LOI) to develop the ICTT project. Meanwhile, the steamer agents had decided to defer its decision to impose a port congestion surcharge to October 15, in view of the improvement in the working of the terminal.

The shippers also urged the port management to allow necessary sanction to use private reach stackers at the earliest to avoid future problems in the terminal.