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Our Bureau

It would help ease congestion to some extent

Kolkata May 23 A new berth (No 2) is to be commissioned at Haldia dock shortly. "Everything is almost ready; almost because the customs notification is awaited," according to dock sources.

"The notification will be available any time". With the commissioning, the number of berths within the impounded dock will rise to 13. Outside the impounded dock, there are three oil jetties on the riverfront.

Congestion Problem

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 40 crore, the new berth, to be completed with a backup area of about 50,000 sq metres including more than 10,000 sq metres of paved area, Railway connectivity and other facilities, will have the capacity of 2 million tonnes. It will mainly handle dry bulk cargo. Another berth in the dock is due for commissioning in September this year, say dock sources.

The commissioning of the No 2 berth, the dock sources feel, will ease the congestion problem to some extent.

Although the pre-berthing detention of Haldia-bound vessels is not alarming — it was less than two days on an average in 2006-07 — there have been stray cases when the detentions have been a matter of concern.

But then in a dock, where the occupancy rate is more than 90 per cent and the capacity utilisation is more than 100 per cent against the international norm of 70 per cent, some detention is unavoidable.

"We've succeeded in keeping it under control through adoption of appropriate measures," the sources observe.

Creating Problems

The pre-berthing detention, it is pointed out, would also be caused by factors for which the dock authorities would not be responsible. Some times, as per the Government decision, priority has to be given to certain types of vessels over certain others. Sometimes, very old vessels would be placed for loading iron ore.

The loading of such vessels would normally take a long time, causing occupation of a berth for a longer period than normal and thus creating problems for other waiting vessels. Sometimes, the incomplete papers would delay the arrivals as well as sailing out of vessels.

Handling Equipment

Haldia dock authorities, it is indicated, are now finalising the terms and conditions for hiring equipment as part of the plan to mechanise the new berths.

There are proposals for acquiring on hire five mobile harbour cranes — two each for the two berths, Nos 2 and 4B, and one for the berth to be ready in September.

Also, matching handling equipment will be acquired on hire.

The suppliers of the equipment will also be responsible for the operation of the equipment by employing their own people.

They will also guarantee minimum throughput and receive payments from the dock authorities on per tonne basis.

All these and various other details are being finalised. On finalisation, the bids will be invited.

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