DP World Kochi and the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry have taken a big step today towards further extending the reach of the International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) beyond Kochi into the hinterland markets in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The two organisations have signed an MOU to operate a facilitation centre at Walayar Check-Post bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu to assist the Exim trade in quicker movement of containers at the check post.

The Kerala Chamber has been running the facilitation centre since 2006 for its members. Under the new agreement with DP World, the facilitation centre will operate 24x7 providing necessary assistance to all Exim traffic moving through the check post to/from the ICTT at Vallarpadam. The facilitation centre is equipped with all the communication facilities and manpower required to ensure prompt assistance and minimal time wastage.

With ICTT operational and mainline services soon directly calling ICTT, the Exim cargo movements from major markets Coimbatore, Tirupur, Salem and Bangalore through the largest check post in Kerala is expected to increase exponentially. The facilitation centre is a step ahead of demand, and will assist customers in clearance of their cargo at the check post.

It will also be a co-ordination centre for the terminal operator to know the inflow of containers to the terminal from the hinterland well in advance of the actual arrival of the container at the ICTT.

Earlier exporters had to rely only on the truck drivers, who often did not have the knowledge or assistance at the check-post to get their goods cleared quickly.

According to Mr Krishnadas, CEO, DP World Kochi, with the setting up of the Facilitation Centre at Walayar, the company is fulfilling a long standing request of the Exim trade from the hinterland.

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