The Hindu Business Line : Major ports go slow on buys; crane makers unhappy

WITH several major ports going slow on their plans to acquire handling equipment, particularly cranes, the manufacturers of these equipment have been left high and dry.

At least three ports, namely the Kolkata Dock System, Mumbai and Kochi, do not have any plans for acquisitions in the immediate future while the plans of other ports such as Vizag, Kandla, JNPT, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Paradip and Haldia are not making much headway, it is learnt.

Thus, Vizag is sitting on its plan to acquire a 20-tonne level-luffing crane estimated to cost Rs 30 crore. It might be recalled that the plan to acquire the crane has been hanging fire for a long time.

For various reasons, the contract awarded earlier had to be cancelled and a fresh tender was floated. But no decision has been taken on the bids received in response to the second round of tendering.

JNPT, it is learnt, has issued tender documents for acquiring six RTG cranes. However, there has been no progress subsequently. The cost of six RTGs, it is estimated, will be more than Rs 20 crore.

The same is true about Paradip port which floated tenders and issued tender documents for acquiring two LL cranes of 20-tonne capacity each, but nothing happened since then.

The port authorities of Kandla and New Mangalore too showed interest in acquiring cranes. Even though the Kandla Port Trust was keen to acquire five cranes of varying capacity ranging from 16-tonne to 20-tonne, no further progress has been reported. The New Mangalore Port Trust too made inquiries about two LL cranes of 20-tonne capacity each, but the matter ended there.

Even Mormugao port was interested in acquiring two barge unloaders to facilitate handling of iron exports, but no progress has been made on it. The matter will receive due importance now that the port has got a new chairman, it is felt.

The crane manufacturers are upset that International Seaports Pvt Ltd (ISPL) which is to build a berth on BOT basis at Haldia dock for handling dirty cargo is yet to sign the agreement with the port authorities. Once the berth is constructed, cranes have to be installed there. But it is not yet clear when the construction work will begin.

The crane manufacturers are, however, pinning their hope on TM International Logistics Ltd (TMILL), a joint venture between Tata Steel and Martrade & Holding GmbH of Germany, which has acquired the number 12 berth at the dock and proposes to invest nearly Rs 30 crore to create handling facilities there.

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