In a major initiative to benefit the exim trade in Coimbatore, the Container Corporation of India (Concor) has announced a special scheme to transport empty containers from Kochi Port to Irugur ICD free of cost.

This will ensure that empty containers required for stacking export cargo from Coimbatore will be mobilised free of freight cost.

It will reduce the overall transport cost of containers exported through Kochi as movement of empty from Kochi was one major contributor to the cost.

Vallarpadam terminal The last quarter of the previous financial year had witnessed over 15 per cent growth in container handling through Vallarpadam terminal.

One of the initiatives that resulted in the growth was the commencement of the regular Saturday container rail service from Coimbatore to Kochi.

The present scheme announced for the next six months will further help Coimbatore exporters by making empty containers available readily and at much less cost.

Concor has already put in place free storage for empty containers for six months.

Cruise destination The scheme will be effective from the service leaving Vallarpadam on April 14, the port officials said.

Meanwhile Kochi Port has emerged as the most preferred cruise destination among Indian ports with vessels from the Cunard Group such as Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Quantum of the Seas regularly visiting the port.

On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth called at the port from Chennai with 1890 tourists and 1022 crew.

Discount on port dues To ensure competitiveness in the tariff, the port has decided to offer 50 per cent discounts in the ‘port dues’ payable by a cruise vessel.

As port dues is one of the main components of the vessel related charges, the decision to grant 50 per cent discount for all vessels without conditions will be a major factor in attracting more cruise vessels to Kochi, the officials added.

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