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India has woken up to Nepal’s need for cost-effective port services for transshipment of third country imports, mostly from China, and counter Beijing’s effort to promote rail-road trade route to the Himalayan Kingdom.
On Thursday, Somlal Subedi, Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal, will dispatch 16 containers of imported cargo from Vizag Port, that country’s second port-of-call after Kolkata, to Birgunj. So far, such operations were a monopoly of the Kolkata Port Trust.
New Delhi has in the past offered Kathmandu the option of using the Vizag Port. But Nepalese importers say neither Kathmandu nor Concor — the joint venture operator of the Birgunj inland container depot (ICD) — showed much interest as the Railways cited lack of rake availability.
Presentations today Things, however, have changed now. According to Vizag Port officials, both Concor and the Indian Railways are keen to offer attractive deals, and will make presentations to Nepalese officials tomorrow.
Against the two-and-a-half day turnaround time of small vessels in the riverine Kolkata port, the Vizag Port takes barely half-a-day to unload cargo from mother-ships, bringing about a saving of $200 on sea freight for every container.
Modern rakes But the downside is it is located 1,400 km from Birgunj. To overcome this disadvantage, the Vizag Port has promised movement of containers through modern BLCA rakes that can travel at at 100 kmph with 90 boxes. Also, according to Vizag Port deputy chairman PL Haranadh, discussions are on with the Railways to run timetabled box trains from Visakhpatnam to Concor ICD in Nepal.
Subject to assured cargo from Nepalese traders, the Vizag Port is ready to start one scheduled train a week to Nepal. “The Railways is positive to our proposal. The detailed plan will be decided after Thursday’s presentation,” Haranadh said. He is hopeful that the round trip can be completed in 17 days against 20 days taken from the Kolkata port.
Clearance delay In another development vis-à-vis Nepal traffic, the Kolkata Port has come up with a solution to safeguard Nepalese importers from payment of penalties for delays in clearing cargo.
According to Kolkata Port Chairman, MT Krishna Babu, Nepal has also been advised to increase use Haldia Dock for greater efficiency.
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