Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is set to earn a royalty of Rs 14.77 per tonne of cargo handled at Haldia Dock, after the Centre asked the port to appoint cargo handlers through a bidding process.

“The bids have been opened and we hope in the next three months the new royalty-based cargo handling system will be implemented,” KoPT sources told PTI.

“The highest royalty had been quoted at Rs 14.77 per tonne by Ripley & Co against floor rate of Rs 13. This rate is highest was among the eight Handling Agency License seeking companies which were technically found eligible for financial bid,” he said.

The tender had set a maximum cargo-handling rate of Rs 119.48 per tonne (ceiling rate) and a minimum royalty of Rs 13 a tonne (floor rate).

However, rest of the bidders will be offered to match the rate to get a license. J S Marines, OSL and Orissa Manganese & Minerals Limited were among the other bidders.

A former KoPT officer Ramakant Burman had been instrumental in flagging the issue with the Centre for alleged loss to the port by the way it was issuing shore cargo handling license.

Burman said the new licensing system was expected to end the monopoly of existing players and would help generate revenue for the hard time faced by the eastern Indian port.

The Ministry took steps after allegations that KoPT had lost hundreds of crores over the years by not levying any charge or royalty from stevedoring services offered by private agents in Haldia.

The government aims to replicate royalty-based cargo handling system across major ports of the country after implementation at Haldia.

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