ABG Haldia Bulk Terminal Pvt Ltd is a special purpose vehicle floated by the ABG Group to undertake mechanisation of two berths, Numbers 2 and 8, at the Haldia dock.

After facing a lot of hurdles, the SPV finally took off and started operations at the berths about a year ago. Before mechanisation, the operation of the berths was marked by outdated loading and unloading methods.

Inefficient ship cranes with low capacity grabs were used, yielding an average productivity of 6,000-8,000 tonnes a day with no performance guarantee by private contractors.

Vessel operation time at the berths was 3-4days at each berth. The various onboard and onshore jobs were outsourced to several contractors. The cumulative effect of all this was huge financial loss to customers.

The demurrage due to detention of vessel caused by poor productivity was about $30,000 a day per vessel.

Productivity up

After mechanisation, the change is there for all to see.

The average productivity per berth has jumped from 18,000 tonnes to 24,000 tonnes a day; the highest daily output achieved so far being 34,062 tonne in loading and 28,766 tonnes in unloading.

The vessel operation time at the berths now is 1-1.25 days at each berth, and the entire onboard and onshore operations are now integrated and seamless.

This has resulted in financial gain to customers in the form , lower charter hire rates, substantial reduction in supervision cost and negligible cargo shortage. And, AHBT has taken upon itself the total responsibility for cargo loss, if any.

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