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Partial operations at Haldia dock

Our Bureau

CALCUTTA, Jan. 18

THE Calcutta Dock System (CDS) remained virtually paralysed as a sequel to the strike observed by its 11,500 workers while the Haldia dock functioned partially as the unloading of crude and paraxylene could be undertaken mechanically. About 36,000 tonnes of crude and paraxylene were unloaded. Nearly 4,500 workers of Haldia dock are on strike.

However, according to port sources, lighterage operation in eight ships berthed at the Sandheads, Sagar Island and Diamond Harbour and Kulpi anchorage was in progress. Four of these vessels are berthed at Diamond Harbour/Kulpi anchorage, three others at Sagar Island and one at the Sandheads and the cargoes being unloaded include crude, sugar and rapeseed oil.

While the volume handled at different lighterage points is not known, the ship-to-ship crude discharge at the Sandheads, it is felt, will be huge as the mother vessel is carrying about 260,000 tonnes of crude.

Seven ships are now berthed at CDS and no loading/unloading work could be undertaken in any one of them. The cargoes to be handled by them include scrap, general imports, general exports, coastal cargoes and logs. At Haldia, there were 11 ships of which two worked. Apart from liquid bulk such as crude and paraxylene, the other items included coking coal, metcoke, limestone, steel, sugar and fertilisers. A total of 16 ships are waiting at the Sandheads.

Ship movement is likely to be normal as the port pilots are not on strike. As a result, the pilot vessel with crew and pilots moved to the Sandheads. The pilots with the help of the naval personnel helped the crude tanker, Vivekananda, sail out of the Ha ldia dock on Tuesday afternoon after she completed discharge of crude.

The naval personnel present at both CDS and Haldia helped tug movement, shipment movement and operation of the lock gates. The Army personnel, who are supposed to help shore operation, are yet to arrive.

The unions complained that the CISF personnel resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the peaceful demonstration by striking employees in front of the CPT's head office at the Strand Road. CPT sources said that the CISF only stopped the strikers who were tr ying to prevent officers from entering the office. All 1,100 officers of the port turned up for duty, the sources added.

PARADIP: ``We achieved 20 per cent of the normal output on the first day of the strike,'' said Mr. S.K. Mohapatra, Chairman of Paradip Port Trust, while talking to Business Line over the phone from Paradip.

With the help of officers, the port could start loading of one thermal coal mechanically and that too from the afternoon. Mr. Mohapatra estimated that about 8,000 tonnes at the most could be loaded on Tuesday against the normal daily throughput of 40,000 tonnes. There is one more thermal coal ship at the berth.

The naval personnel present at the dock helped movement of ships from one berth to another. One vessel carrying liquid ammonia was thus shifted from one berth to the other with the help of the Navy. The mechanical unloading of the vessel would start on W ednesday, he said.

Right now, there are three ships berthed at the port and one is waiting outside. He hoped that the operation of the port railway would be possible as soon as the territorial Army personnel arrived.