The Hindu Business Line : JM Baxi seeks permission to offer container services

IN a move indicating heightened interest of the private sector in container transportation on Indian Railways' track, shipping services provider JM Baxi & Company on Monday applied for permission to offer containerised services.

With a national network of over 55 offices at both major and minor ports on the East and West coast of the country, JM Baxi is a large maritime logistics service provider.

The company has evinced interest to offer the services from the ports of Pipavav, Mundra, Chennai/Ennore, Vizag and Kochi with hinterland and has paid a registration fee of Rs 10 crore to Railways.

Pipavav Rail Corporation Ltd (PRCL) has already been given a green signal for the same routes.

The interest in the rail route connecting Pipavav port sector could be explained by the fact that this is likely to be the first track where double stack containers can be run.

Concor seeks all-India licence: Meanwhile, Container Corporation of India (Concor), the public sector unit, which has been the only player to offer container services on rail track till date, has also applied for the permission late last week.

To continue offering containerised services across the country, it has sought permission with a registration fee of Rs 50 crore.

"Concor applied late last week," said officials.

JM Baxi & Co is the second private player after Gateway Distriparks Ltd (GDL) to have applied for the permission. GDL is understood to have applied for an all-India licence.

JM Baxi offers services in several areas including shipping agency, agency services for cruise and visiting naval ships, container transport management, port development, terminal management and international freight forwarding.

PRCL was the first player to apply to offer services in the sector after Railways invited applications and has received an in-principle approval from the Ministry as well.

PRCL is owned jointly by the Railways and Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd.

On the need to make arrangements for inland container depots (ICDs), JM Baxi & Company officials told Business Line, "We have decided to set up our own ICDs and use our own rolling stock."

The company is also exploring options to have tie-ups for ICDs and rolling stock usage. As per the policy, applicants have to make their own arrangements for a rail-linked ICD by leasing it from ICD owners or by owning it.

The rail routes on which permissions would be granted were grouped into four categories. The fee for JNPT/Mumbai port and National Capital Region connectivity is Rs 50 crore and it includes the permission to operate on all other routes.

Railways had defined three other categories of routes and operating in each of these would cost Rs 10 crore.

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