• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Port Info

• Ships in Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• The Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Our Bureau

Kolkata , Aug. 30

AN unprecedented bunching of Haldia-bound ships at the Sandheads, the mouth of the Hooghly river, is causing concern to Haldia dock authorities.

Till a few days ago, there were as many as 25 ships, highest in recent times, waiting at the Sandheads. The figure has since dropped and on Monday it was 19. Within the dock, there were 20 ships. The majority of these vessels are to load iron ore for exports.

The dock authorities would attribute the present situation to sudden spurt in exports of iron ore, mainly to China. The problem has been compounded by the recent closure of some of the west coast ports for a variety of reasons. There is a rush for shipments through east coast ports, particularly Haldia. The jump in the imports of a few other items such as, steam coal for Farakka unit of National Thermal Power Corporation and raw materials for several fertiliser units dotting the region, too is believed to have contributed to the present situation at Haldia. The import of fertiliser raw materials has jumped by nearly 150 per cent so far in the current year as compared with the same period last year. NTPC is understood to have indicated to import around six lakh tonnes of steam coal through Haldia in the current fiscal. Capping it all, the monsoon, when the productivity in general suffers everywhere.

While the demand for additional cargo handling facilities at Haldia has increased, the dock authorities find it hard to cope with the increased demand overnight. Worse, one of the berths where two RMQCs are being installed, has not been able handle ships. Yet the dock authorities are hopeful of clearing the problem of congestion within a week or so. The optimism is based on several factors. More iron ore ships are being handled than before. Earlier, in addition to the iron ore berth, at least two to three berths were used to load iron ore. It has now been stepped up to five. More importantly, the productive berths, i.e. those having good handling and evacuation facilities, are being used for the purpose.

Interestingly, the congestion problem at Haldia has hit Paradip also, though in a different way. This is because many of the vessels which are to undertake two-port loading, i.e., completing loading at Paradip after initial loading at Haldia, are now detained at the Sandheads and therefore cannot arrive at Paradip on time.

The ETAs (expected time for arrivals) at Paradip are getting postponed. Paradip port authorities therefore want an end to two-port loading arrangement such that the vessels requiring deeper draft and with higher capacity to load should be nominated only for Paradip. Paradip being a sea port is not afflicted with the kind of navigability problem witnessed at Haldia which is a river port. Inquiries, however, reveal that several vessels which come to Haldia for loading iron ore are nominated for single port loading, not two-port loading. Which means, on completing loading, the vessel will sail straight for the destination port, without calling at Paradip. Naturally, these ships get priority in loading at Haldia.

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

Stories in this Section
Chidambaram to head IA fleet acquisition panel

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line