The Hindu Business Line : Severe congestion at Kandla port

A large number of vessels are waiting for berth, some of them essential food, while many more ships are expected to arrive in the coming days to add to the existing chaos as the Government has not only got priority berthing but also ousting priority at the Kandla port.

Mumbai , Oct.13

One of the busiest ports on the west coast, Kandla is facing serious congestion, unprecedented in recent times. A large number of vessels are waiting for berth to either load or discharge cargo, some of them essential food, while many more ships are expected to arrive in the coming days to add to the existing chaos.

Priority berthing

The Union Government has arrogated itself the right to obtain priority berthing, especially for vessels carrying imported wheat and fertilisers.

Port officials are under instruction to grant to vessels, carrying three different grades of fertilisers and wheat on government account, priority berthing.

Of the 11 berths, two had been reserved for wheat on priority basis and one for fertiliser since early September. Now, the Government has demanded and taken two additional berths for its own cargo, said a service provider.

Of the balance six , two are for container handling, leaving just two berths each for private exporters and importers.

`Ousting priority'

Indeed, the latest is that all government priority vessels carrying three different grades of fertilisers and wheat should be given `ousting priority' instead of normal priority. In other words, any ship carrying non-governmental cargo can be ousted to accommodate government cargo.

Exporters and importers using Kandla are rather worried that delay in berthing would result in payment of heavy demurrage. Season for export of bulk goods such as rice and oilmeal/extraction is yet to begin in full swing, but export houses are already scrambling to explore avenues to beat the problem at Kandla, which many believe could get worse in the coming weeks.

As of Thursday, at least 20 ships were waiting to load export cargo including salt, cement, agricultural goods, metals etc, while over a dozen ships were expected to arrive shortly.

On the import side, vessels waiting numbered nine (wheat, timber logs, metals) and at least eight ships were expected.

As per the current position, for the import group, a delay of 14-15 days could be expected, and delay of anything between nine and 14 days for export group (depending on cargo size), asserted representative of a leading trading house.

Waiting time increases

Kandla Port Trust had decided that with effect from September 11, two berths for container group and three berths each for priority, import and export cargoes would be allotted. Now, with the government forcing its way to get even ousting priority, waiting time for port users has increased inordinately.

Cost of moving the cargo from Kandla to other ports is rather high. Private trade runs the danger of defaulting on export shipment or paying heavy demurrage on delaying berthing of ships with imported goods.

Kandla is turning out to be a nightmare for everyone including port officials, users and service providers, lamented an exporter.