Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Dec 03, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Dec 03, 2002 |
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Logistics
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Shipping Sagar operations may aid Kolkata Our Bureau
KOLKATA, Dec. 2 THE prospects of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) should not be evaluated in terms of the performance of the Kolkata Dock System (KDS), hamstrung by many constraints including heavy siltation in the river Hooghly and dwindling flow of the river. The Kolkata port, having a territorial limit of 232 km, can be extended further southwards as done earlier while commissioning the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). Speaking on the occasion of the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Dufferin Rajendra Old Cadets Association (DROCA) here today, Dr A.K. Chanda, Chairman of KoPT, said in order to exploit this potential, it has been decided to facilitate full-fledged port operations at the Sagar Island near Sandheads. The lighterage operation from high capacity mother vessels at the Sandheads has already been launched, thus moving further South. Admitting that the dry dock was another area, which is under-utilised till now, he said the port authority is now contemplating to increase the capacity of the dry docks here. The KDS has registered a growth of 20 per cent so far this fiscal while the national growth rate in the port sector has been only 8 per cent, he pointed out. Elaborating on the global scenario, Dr Chanda said out of the 300 shipping lines working in this sector, some 30 lines control nearly 90 per cent of the total transportation. According to a projection of the global trade, by 2020 only 35 shipping lines will dominate the area of operation. On the other hand, the number of shippers is constantly on the rise, and in course of time, may exert pressure through a cartel to attain their share in the highly competitive market system. On the Major Ports Act, Dr Chanda opined that the existing Act should give way to new Act to facilitate trade, leaving the role of individuals to be determined by only market forces. Mr D.T. Joseph, Director-General of Shipping, Government of India, said the need of the hour was to upgrade maritime education in the country. He suggested setting up of a forum for all operators concerned who may interact among themselves to give the industry a new facelift. While answering a question from a shipper on the undue harassment caused by shipping lines, Mr Joseph said the present law of the land did not permit punitive action against the perpetrator. Hence, the Government is considering suitable legislative measures. Earlier, the Governor of West Bengal, Mr Viren J. Shah, inaugurated the platinum jubilee celebration of DROCA.
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