In April and May, Jawaharlal Nehru port handled 2 per cent fewer containers vis-à-vis the same period last year. In first two months of 2011-12, the throughput was 738,934 TEUs, down from 751,054 TEUs a year earlier. Compared to the target of 770,000 TEUs set by the Shipping Ministry, the drop is more than 4 per cent. Gateway Terminals, operated by AP Moller-Maersk, handled 318,552 TEUs, compared with 329,725 TEUs during the same period a year earlier. During the same period, the traffic at DP World's Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal fell to 249,523 TEUs from 277,506 TEUs. However, the volume at the state-owned facility jumped 19 per cent to 170,859 TEUs from 143,823 TEUs. Also, the overall cargo tonnage during the period at 11.2 million tonnes (11 mt) showed a growth of 2 per cent. Meanwhile, the planned commissioning of three rail-mounted quay cranes is expected to hit normal operations and disrupt fixed-day schedules of vessels calling at the port. The installation schedule is for 40 days starting June 20 and continuing till July 31. During this period, the port will not be in a position to handle vessels exceeding 260 metres in length, it is learnt. The port authorities have urged ship operators to temporarily re-route cargo to other ports further up the west coast, such as Mundra and Pipavav, as well as through major transshipment hubs in the region, like Colombo and Jebel Ali, using feeder connections.
China's inroads into European infra
A recent report in the
No wonder, the company ran into financial difficulties soon, delaying payments to subcontractors and others and trying to renegotiate the contract. But the government rejected the move. Meanwhile, Germany's Committee of Eastern European Economic Relations, an industry body, alleged that State-owned Chinese companies were securing contracts in the region “via price-dumping, aggressive financing and generous risk-guarantees”. Poland had pledged to complete the highway before next summer's European football championships, which it is co-hosting with Ukraine. The government is now aiming for the road to be “drivable and safe” rather than completed before June 2012.
Shipbuilding yard stuck on pricing
The proposal to have a shipbuilding yard at Geonkhali, East Midnapore district, West Bengal, is believed to have run into rough weather. The deadline for fixing the price for about 500 acres identified for the project lapsed last week, with the district administration having failed to announce the price. According to rules, the land price, so critical for finalising the compensation package for the land-losers, has to be announced within two years of the notification for survey of the land.
The notification was issued on June 16, 2009. But the survey could not be undertaken in the face of stiff resistance by local people led by the Trinamool Congress. The protesters were opposing land acquisition. As even the survey could not be undertaken, the question of acquisition did not arise. With the Trinamool Congress coming to power in the State, one hoped that the process of survey and land acquisition would be expedited. But that did not happen.
The promoters of the Rs 2,000-crore project, Apeejay Group and Bharati Shipyards, are frustrated. Three years have passed (the first notification was issued in May 2008) and there has been no progress and the whole process has to be started afresh.