The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Restrictions on ship handling

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 22, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Restrictions on ship handling

T. Madhusudana Rao

Sequel to fall in cargo loading rate

It is decided to allow working of 11 vessels at a time
New arrangement to be in place for three months

Kakinada: Consequent upon the fall in cargo loading and discharging rate owing to port congestion on one side and meagre infrastructure facilities on the other, leading to shipping trade incurring demurrage, the Cocanada Chamber of Commerce has decided to impose restrictions on the number of ships to be handled at a time from September 1 onwards.

At one point of time there were almost 29 vessels in the anchorage, either for loading of rice and other agri-products or unloading of fertilizers. “Since there are no restrictions on the number of vessels to be handled, the minimum loading and discharging rate has fallen alarmingly in the recent past seriously affecting the vessels turn-round. All the vessels during the last month invariably, incurred demurrages causing untold hardship to handling agents, exporters and importers.

The shipping trade members after series of sittings opined shortage of loading and unloading jetties, warehousing and barges have attributed significantly to the drastic fall in loading and discharging rate,” said Dantu Suryarao, chairman of Cocanada Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday. He told The Hindu that it was finally decided to allow working of eleven vessels at a time, thereby ensuring a loading and discharging rate of minimum 3,000 tonnes daily so that the vessels’ performance could be considerably improved. As per the decision, only 11 vessels -- six export vessels, one coastal export vessel and four import vessels -- would be handled making the other vessels to wait beyond the anchorage. Mr. Suryarao said the new arrangement would be in force for a period of three months purely on a trial basis and claimed that similar thing in the past, about a decade ago, yielded the desired result.

Agents’ view

However, some of the leading clearing and forwarding agents are having their own reservation on the new working pattern. They apprehend that it will discourage the shippers from opting the anchorage port to route their cargo and gives a wrong signal to outsiders on the working of the port. They opine that instead of restricting the number of ships, the chamber should strive for improving the infrastructure in the port such as more storage space for rice and fertilizers, increase in the number of jetties and steel barges as well. “Because of the rice export boom there is congestion. If there is no rice export, which is already dwindling due non-availability of stock, the situation naturally aggravates,” laments a steamer agent.

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