The Hindu Business Line : Cargo movement `derailed' at Kochi Port

The disruption of rail movement on the Venduruthy Bridge, connecting Cochin Port Trust with mainland, after a dredger hit the bridge pier, has dislocated cargo movement, of both containers and bulk items, to and from the port.

Though the port management has taken steps to move the Inland Container Depot (ICD) cargo by road to the nearby Ernakulam Marshalling Yard for rail transportation, it is alleged that there is no such effort vis-à-vis the bulk cargo.

Movement by road

Shipping agents handling bulk cargo had started transporting coal from the port to the Goods Shed at Ponnurunni by tipper lorries for onward movement to various destinations.

It is estimated that around 20,000 tonnes of coal, 5,000 tonnes of iron ore and some quantity of scrap are awaiting clearance from the port. This has increased the operational cost of the shipping agents because of the double loading and unloading. They have also started collecting from consignees additional charges for the movement of cargo to the Goods Shed.

The Port Chairman, Mr N. Ramachandran, said as Concor runs one rake between Kochi and Bangalore, it is easy to make alternative arrangements for moving containers from the ICD. The port and DP World have decided to absorb the additional cost involved in the transportation of containers to the Ernakulam Marshalling Yard.

As for bulk cargo, he said except for coal, the other consignments, such as iron ore and scraps, are moved by trucks. No large quantity of coal is awaiting evacuation from the port. "We have set a target to repair the bridge in order to make it ready for operations in two months," he said.

Mr Ramachandran said that the dredger involved in the accident had been detained at the port and would be released only after the cost for repairing the bridge is recovered.

Disruption can be costly

A spokesman of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the stoppage of train movement is of some concern to the exporting community.

Today, when competition among ports is rising rapidly, the Cochin Port cannot afford any disruption of services and/or consequent increases in freight rates. Any diversion of cargo from the Cochin Port can affect its overall performance in the long run.

The current crisis is also an eye-opener to the fact that the construction of the new road and rail bridges parallel to the existing Venduruthy bridge is an absolutely necessity for the growth and development of the Cochin Port. Hence, this construction should be completed on a war footing, the Chamber said.

According to port sources, such incidents would tarnish the image of the port particularly when the port was trying to attract bulk cargo.

They said a similar situation was precipitated in 2004 also and lot of cargo had moved to other south ports. The Kochi port had won back the cargo after a strenuous marketing efforts.

The port, they said, should exercise strict control over navigation by vessels and craft to avoid such accidents.

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