The Hindu Business Line : SAIL gets another exclusive berth at Haldia

Special treatment
Rail connectivity to be ready in a few months
SAIL currently uses berth no. 4A exclusively
Plans to step up imports to 5.5-6 mt this year

Kolkata May 30 SAIL will soon get another berth at Haldia dock for almost exclusive use.

The new berth (No. 2), now in final stage of construction and due for commissioning in less than a month, will extend preferential berthing facility to vessels calling at the dock on SAIL's account.

Priority

"The SAIL vessels will be given ousting priority at the new berth subject to SAIL, guaranteeing a minimum berth hire and a given volume of cargo throughput annually", according to a spokesman for Haldia dock.

"We have also promised certain back-up area adjacent to the new berth to SAIL to facilitate the handling of traffic."

However, as it was indicated, the work on the rail connectivity to the berth would take a few more months to complete.

SAIL currently uses berth number 4A of Haldia dock almost exclusively by way of back-to-back arrangement with ISPL, the private firm that built the berth on BOT basis.

The berth is used mainly for handling imported coking coal.

Throughput

The annual throughput of the berth is estimated at three million tonnes.

In 2006-07, SAIL imported 4.5 million tonnes (mt) of coking coal through Haldia - three mt in berth number 4A and 1.5 mt split over several other berths.

In 2007-08, it plans to step up the imports to 5.5-6 mt.

Berth number 4A will continue to handle three mt and the new berth the rest so that the other berths are not required to handle its coking coal traffic in smaller quantities.

Coking coal

SAIL is believed to have indicated to step up coking coal import through Haldia to more than seven mt annually.

The issue of mechanisation of the new berth (No. 2), it is learnt, is still open.

Handling equipment

SAIL has been told that it can arrange on its own the handling equipment to be required for operation at the berth. Alternatively, the dock authorities will provide the equipment and run them.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Kolkata Port Trust will shortly hold a meeting with the Chairman of the Dredging Corporation of India to sort out various issues relating to dredging in the Hooghly river.

While both sides have more or less zeroed in on the scope of the work, differences persist over rates.

In all likelihood, the rate issue will be referred to the Shipping Ministry, as had been done in a previous instance.

More Stories on : Shipping | Steel | Steel Authority of India Ltd

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Thailand's Nok Air will fly to Bangalore from today

Etihad plans more flights to India

Aviation policy review not on Cabinet agenda

SAIL gets another exclusive berth at Haldia

Tuticorin port handles record granite blocks

Railways deputes officers for freight corridor project