The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata Port Trust working on package to boost barge operations

Kolkata, July 1 Kolkata Port Trust is working on a package to encourage large-scale lighterage operation (by barges) in view of the declining draft in the Hooghly river making it difficult for vessels with large average parcel loads to call either at Haldia or at Kolkata Dock System. The present plan is targeted to ensure fuller utilisation of the barge-handling facilities already available at Sagar Anchorage and Virtual Jetty offering higher draft.

The essence of the operation is this – vessels with large average parcel load, which cannot call at Kolkata Dock System and Haldia, will moor either at the anchorage or at jetty offering up to 10 metre draft, unload part of the consignments into the waiting barges which in turn will call either at Haldia or at Kolkata Dock System for second round of discharge.

Similarly, in the opposite direction, the barges can load cargoes (exports) at the docks and bring them up to the ships berthed at the anchorage/jetty for topping up.

“The ships moored at anchorage/jetty will be entitled to concessional vessel-related charges,” Dr A.K. Chanda, Chairman, Kolkata Port Trust, told Business Line here on Tuesday. “The barge operators too, will be entitled to relief in addition to priority berthing within the impounded docks on guaranteeing certain minimum volume of throughputs. The dry bulk cargoes like coal, iron ore are being targeted for the purpose. Some of the private barge operators have already indicated to offer suitable barges to facilitate the operation,” he said.

The barge operation was so far viewed in isolation, observed Dr Chanda, explaining that the thrust of the present move would be to establish barge operation as an extension of the shipping operation. If successful, the proposed plan could be extended even to undertake transloading operation in the Sandheads, the mouth of the Hooghly river.

As part of the proposed plan, the Kolkata Port Trust, as its Chairman indicated, was also planning to build barge jetties on the river front outside the impounded dock at Haldia. “A survey is in progress to identify the suitable locations with adjacent land to facilitate handling, evacuation and aggregation of cargoes and to sort out other details such as the number of jetties likely to be set up, the cost of construction and the probable participation of the private barge operators in the construction,” he added.

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