The Hindu Business Line : Kochi charting course for Category A status

Taking into account the increasing container traffic handled and the Rs 2,118-crore international container transshipment terminal at Vallarpadam becoming a reality, the status of Kochi will be further enhanced, and it deserves to be upgraded.

CONTAINER AND cruise vessels anchored at Kochi Port. There is an increasing demand to upgrade the port's status from B category to A, in view of various developmental projects on the anvil. — K. K. Mustafah

Considering the ambitious development projects on the anvil in and around Cochin Port Trust, there has been an increasing demand from the shipping fraternity here to think of reclassifying the port to Category A from B.

The present classification is not thought to be justified, especially as the port has initiated many developmental projects under the National Maritime Development Programme involving huge investments.

Major portsare classified in two groups. Kandla, JNPT, Mumbai, Chennai, Vizag and Kolkata come under Category A while New Mangalore, Tuticorin, Kochi, Paradip and Goa are classified B. This classification was made in 1997. Before that there were three categories of major ports.

Basis of classification

The classification of major ports was made based on the recommendations of a committee. Mr C. S. Kartha, a former Trustee of the Cochin Port Trust, said no rationale or criterion appear to have been relied upon to categorise ports at a lower level. Nor is there any study to establish that senior officers in the Category A ports shoulder higher responsibilities.

On the contrary, many Category B ports are said to face more challenges and their officials carry more responsibilities.

In Kochi, Mr Kartha pointed out, the level of responsibilities and challenges of senior officers is no less than that of any of their Category A port counterparts. The last meeting of the Board of Trustees had passed a resolution in this regard and entrusted the Chairman to take up the matter with the Shipping Ministry, he said.

Mr Sebastian Paul, MP, has taken up the issue with the Shipping Minister requesting him to take positive steps for upgrading Kochi to Category A, considering its strategic location on the international maritime route and its mounting volume of business.

New status

As the Rs 2,118-crore international container transhipment terminal at Vallarpadam is becoming a reality, the status of Kochi as a major port will further enhance. Taking into account the contours of the fast changing scenario, Mr Paul urged the Minister to take an early and favourable decision in this regard.

According to a highly placed source in the port, the classification of ports was done based on the traffic handled. However, the situation has changed now, with the port handling more containerised than bulk cargo.

Kochi, which is the first major port to start container movement, has attained prominence in container handling and deserved to be in Category A, he said.

Though the traffic handled by Kochi is lower compared to Category A ports, it is far morein value on account of the high-value containers comprising marine products, spices, cashew, etc., handled. Considering all this and the Rs 10,000-crore integrated development plan to be taken up, the port deserved to be in Category A, he said.

Mr Suresh Joseph, General Manager, India Gateway Terminal, said that a reclassification would signify the importance of the port in the maritime development of the country.

More autonomy

The reclassification would bring with it greater operational and financial responsibilities and autonomy for the port administration. Coupled with the better investment climate and worker attitude, the port can become the model for port development in the country.

And with this, Mr Joseph said, would come an opportunity for job creation and business expansion. However, in the context of globalisation and the customer's quest for `value for money', it must not be forgotten that productivity and cost of service will be the defining parameters of any infrastructure or service.