Kochi SEZ assures electronic interchange facility at Vallarpadam

The Exim trade at Kochi has been assured of an electronic interchange facility (EDI) at ICTT Vallarpadam shortly. This assurance has been given by the Cochin Special Economic Zone authorities at an open house convened by them here with various stakeholders.

The setting up of an EDI facility has been a long pending demand by the Exim trade and the facility, once it is established, is expected to provide container movement faster in the ICTT. The authorities told the meeting that they had taken up the matter at central level.

The Exim trade have also raised the issue of high cost of terminal handling charges levied by shipping lines against the actual rates charged by the terminal operator. They also pointed out that the additional costs such as double service tax and other levy charges are being added on to the terminal handling charges by shipping lines.

No onward connection

The cashew trade complained that the terminal operator is not taking any steps for speedy clearance of transhipment containers from Kochi to Tuticorin. They pointed out that there is no onward connection from Kochi to Tuticorin for the last 35 days and the cargo is getting damaged.

Since mainline vessels have been arriving at Kochi with raw cashew from various African countries, transhipment containers to Tuticorin have increased. Consignees in Tuticorin are running short of raw material and paying additional cost to rail/truck these containers to Tuticorin.

Consignees in these ports prefer to get their cargo routed through Colombo for faster and efficient deliveries at Tuticorin since they have an option of several feeder vessels to Tuticorin unlike from Kochi which has to wait for only Indian Flag vessels, they said.

Suggestion for PQO

There was also a suggestion for allowing some space at ICTT for a Plant Quarantine Officer for faster clearance of raw cashew containers.

The Seafood Exporters demanded that the terminal operator should bill the exporter directly based on the directive issued by the Port Trust Chairman in this regard. They also pointed out that the shipping lines are resorting to additional booking over and above the normal slots available of the vessel resulting in some of their containers getting shut out thereby incurring higher electricity charges.

The steamer agents/lines confirmed that they take a 10 per cent over booking to ensure that they do not loose out if some of the booked containers do not arrive. They were open to the idea of blocking slots on the vessel in case the exporter was willing to pay dead freight.

The marine exporters have also asked the Chairman to arrange a meeting with the terminal operator for working out modalities of the billing and payment of terminal handling charges. The terminal operator had not taken any action in this regard in spite of the Chairman's directive based on an order by the High Court on a writ petition against high terminal handling charges at ICTT.