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V. Sajeev Kumar

Kochi, Jan. 12 The trading community in Kochi has expressed concern over the undue delay in settling the trailer strike in Kochi Port as it entered the seventh day on Monday. The strike has brought the entire cargo movement to and from the port to a standstill.

Sources in the container terminal told Business Line that around 4,200 TEU import containers and 2,500 TEU export consignments are lying in the terminal over the last one week due to disruption of trailer movement.

However, he said that there has been very little diversion of cargo on account of the nation-wide strike by truckers. If the trailer strike prolongs, there will be a diversion of sizeable portion of cargo to neighbouring ports, he said.

Meanwhile, the Steamer Agents Association is planning to meet the Port Chairman to settle the dispute at the earliest, as the strike is costing the shipping lines dear. “Whenever there is a strike in the port on any issue, the ultimate loser used to be the steamer agents, who have to bear the demurrage for the consignment which is lying in the port. The Custom House Agent or the trailer owner will not lose anything on account of the strike as they will become the beneficiaries of the settlements that may be reached through negotiations,” a senior official in a shipping company said.

Besides, the shipping agents have to pay charter hire in the range of $8,000-10,000. Even the terminal operator will not waive the charges for the consignment which will affect the business of the shipping agents badly, particularly in the recession period, he said.

The trailer owners have approached the State Labour Minister to intervene in the matter of parking fee. They pointed out that the decision to levy parking fee at the rate of Rs 15 for 40 feet container for over six hours and Rs 10 for 20 feet container will become a huge burden on the container carriers. The parking fee will in effect translate into a monthly charge of Rs 9,000 a vehicle, which the container carriers can ill afford.

More Stories on : Roadways | Shipping/Ports

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