CPT likely to lose fertiliser import handling.

The Cochin Port Trust is likely to lose income through fertilizer import, with the  Union Ministry of Fertilizer suggesting that Fertilizers and Chemical Travancore Ltd (FACT) consider shifting fertiliser import to Tuticorin port, owing to exorbitant handling charges in Kochi.

“We have received a communication from the  Ministry in this regard,” confirmed FACT authorities. “The decision was taken not by the FACT but by the Ministry. A comparison of charges at Cochin and Tuticorin ports showed that the expense can be brought down by 50 per cent if it is handled in Tuticorin,” said FACT authorities.

Around 12 lakh tonnes of fertilizers are being handled at Tuticorin port in a month.  The cost of handling fertilizers in Kochi is `1,726 per tonne, while the charge at Tuticorin for the same is `848. None of the ports in India exact more than `900 per tonne. According to the Port Trust authorities, certain reasons on which they have no control add to the high charges in Kochi. This includes storage, packing,loading and unloading.

The low rate of clearance of imported fertilizers has also become a setback for the port. In 2011 December,thousands of tonnes of urea and potash imported by the  FACT and the Indian Potash Limited (IPL) piled up in the godowns of the CPT for want of labourers to clear them. It took about six months to clear the piled-up fertilizers.

Compartmentalisation of labour into various watertight pools within the Welfare Board, where over 2,500 workers are registered, was  the cause of the shortage of labourers.  Despite the lack of work for them in other pools, they could not be spared by the board, resulting in shortage amidst plenty. The Welfare Board was able to supply only around 40 workers on an average against the demand of 120.

In another incident last week, the vessel ‘Tor Wind’ carrying potash which reached Kochi on October 9  had to return to outer area as  berthing was impossible because of depth issue. The vessel had to wait there for three days till enough draft was provided on the Ernakulam channel. The three-day wait is reported to have caused  an additional financial burden for the shipping company.

Source : newindianexpress.com