The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata Port Trust may install third mobile harbour crane at NSD

Crane woes
The existing mobile harbour cranes were not functional for the last one month.
Negotiations were on with Cardinal Logistics, the equipment supplier, for installing a third mobile harbour crane.

Kolkata , Aug. 4

The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is planning to have a third mobile harbour crane (MHC) installed at the Netaji Subhas Dock (NSD) under the Kolkata Dock System.

At present, two such cranes, one each at Number 5 and Number 8 berths of NSD, are in operation. However, their frequent breakdowns have been a matter of concern to the trade, feeder operators and their agents, it is learnt.

The breakdowns are affecting loading and unloading of containers, entailing longer stay of the feeder vessels at the port. The berthing delays often lead to shifting of vessels from one berth to another. Capping it all, inadequate shore facilities slow down the clearance of import and tendering of export containers.

Dr A.K. Chanda, Chairman of KoPT, conceded that the MHCs at the Dock were not in order for the past one month or so and attributed it to "overworking" of the equipment. He, however, hoped that the problems would be over soon, indicating that negotiations were on with Cardinal Logistics, the equipment supplier, for installing a third mobile harbour crane.

`Not hitting trade'

A spokesman for Cardinal Logistics declined to accept that the breakdown of the equipment (cranes) had in any way hit the trade or the feeder operators. "The breakdown of an equipment is quite a common thing but we have ably handled whatever volume that has been given to us," the spokesman said.

The contract with the port authorities was such that the more the number of moves, the more the company stood to benefit. Besides, there was a penalty clause. "It is therefore not in our interest to keep the cranes down," he said, adding, "the availability of the equipment has been nearly 100 per cent despite occasional problems common to any such operation".

The cranes were working only 50 per cent of the capacity because the berth occupancy was low. "We've achieved 25 moves per hour which by any standard is very good," he said.

While Cardinal Logistics would be interested in having a third MHC installed at the dock, much would depend on the port authorities because the present contract with the port provided for only two cranes.

"We're negotiating with the port authorities in this regard," he added.