The Cochin Customs House Agents Association has emphasised the need to integrate inland waterways and coastal shipping mode at Vallarpadam terminal to reduce costs.
There is a need to encourage inland water transport for movement of containers and to make arrangements for stacking the Customs examined containers directly to the ship to avoid unnecessary costs, says V.S. Pradeep, the newly elected President of CHA.
The increased usage of waterways will not only de-congest roads in Kerala but also considerably reduce transaction cost, he said.
Complimenting the efforts taken by the Central and State Governments for the promotion of coastal transportation, he called for concerted efforts for a free movement of cargo in a cost-effective manner from Vallarpadam terminal for the overall benefit of the exim trade in the region.
The ICTT at Vallarpadam, he said, is definitely poised for a better growth shortly with the relaxation of Cabotage Law. Likewise, the Cochin International Airport is also expected to grow manifold in the coming years in terms of cargo and passenger arrivals. Given the emerging situation both in sea and air transportation in Kerala, he said CHA has to play a proactive role to improve ways to smoothen cargo movement.
CHA, he said, is in constant dialogue with several trade bodies and government agencies to mitigate the current bottlenecks in total transportation. The association suggested bringing new legislation to suit international standards to facilitate free cargo movement thereby reducing turnaround time and cost.
To clear the bottlenecks in Vallarpadam terminal, house agents has been demanding for a full-fledged customs station in ICTT to facilitate at least green channel clearance from the terminal without moving the container to a CFS.