BIZ-KOPT

KoPT aims 70 MT cargo handling in FY20
    Kolkata, Jul 21 (PTI) Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is
aiming at 10 per cent growth in cargo handling to 70 million
tonne (MT) in the current fiscal, amid constraints faced by
the riverine port in the eastern part of the country, its
chairman Vinit Kumar said.
    In 2018-19, the port handled about 63 million tonne of
cargo in its two docks of Kolkata and Haldia, registering nine
per cent growth over the previous fiscal.
    "We have set a target of 70 million tonne of cargo
handling in 2019-20 (FY20)," the KoPT chairman said at an
informal meeting here.
    Transloading activities by the port has helped the
KoPT to prevent diversion of cargo to other ports, situated in
eastern coast.
    "Transloading has stabilised and we are hopeful for
handling 2.5 million tonne of cargo through this window
(transloading) in FY'20, against 1.6 million tonne last
fiscal," Kumar said adding that the port can handle up to 5 MT
of cargo through the this arrangement.
    Sand heads and Sagar are two major points from where
the transloading activities take place in the KoPT.
    Trans-loading is a technical term for transferring the
cargo mid-sea into smaller vessels for due evacuation through
ports. Siltation of the channels restrict the port to attract
large vessel into its docks.
    In order to reduce cost per tonne of cargo, importers
usually prefer large size ships.
    Kumar said the port has taken up projects that will
yield results in the short term as the proposed deep sea port
projects seem to be remained in a limbo as political rift
between the state and Centre had widen.
    Apart from transloading, KoPT has decided to restrict
non-crude vessels to enter into the berths and instead, will
allow unloading of the cargo through a floating pipeline.
    "Non-crude vessels are smaller in size than bulk cargo
ships but turnaround time is almost same for the both.
Accommodating more high capacity vessels into berths will
increase our total cargo handling," Kumar explained.
    Meanwhile, KoPT has received legal clearances to
hive-off a 22,000 tonne cargo ship belonging to a bankrupt
Russian liner, lying idle at a berth for a year.
    This is the first time KoPT is taking such a step
against any liner, Kumar said.
    "We have lost Rs 10 crore business for the Russian
liner as they failed to take away their ship clearing our
dues", he said.
    Auction of the ship will give a message that the stern
action will be taken by port authorities for actions not
being adhered to law, he said. PTI BSM BDC
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from a PTI feed.)