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Pvt terminals unaffected by port stir

Our Bureau

MUMBAI, Jan. 18

THE country's major ports came to a near standstill due to the port workers' strike which began on Tuesday, but private terminals remained operational, according to information reaching here.

Regular work was on at the joint sector Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd (GPPL) as well as the second container terminal of its foreign partner, PSA Corporation, in Tuticorin.

One container vessel was turned around jointly at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the privately-owned Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) just after the strike began, Mr. M.P. Pinto, Chairman, JNPT said. Officials at the shipping lines said work within NSICT was normal, though by virtue of being adjacent to the public sector JNPT, entry and exit of boxes was affected. One container ship was diverted from the Mumbai port.

JNPT had three ships at its bulk terminal (one for loading soya bean meal, one for unloading cement, the third discharging liquid cargo) while Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) had three ships (two carrying sulphur and one laden with chick pea) berthed inside Ind ira Docks. Mumbai port said it had no ships waiting at outer anchorage. JNPT indicated expected arrival of two container ships tonight with more in the offing.

Work on them, however, depends on JNPT's junior officers reporting for work. Many of them refrained from operating equipment, following threats from striking personnel, sources at the port said, adding senior officials were due to discuss the subject thi s evening.

The Mormugao port was at a standstill, with only officers reporting for duty. One general cargo ship and one fertiliser vessel were idling at berth, while four general cargo ships and one POL (petroleum, oil and lubricants) tanker were waiting at outer a nchorage.

POL handling at Mumbai port continued with assistance from the Navy and Home Guards. Two tankers, one with 67,000 tonnes of crude oil and another bearing 29,000 tonnes of high speed diesel (HSD) aboard, were discharging at assigned berths. A third tanker , yet to dock, is slated for naphtha loading.

The single buoy mooring (SBM) operations of Reliance Petroleum Ltd (RPL) off Jamnagar continued smoothly, it being totally under private control. According to Mr. A.K. Joti, Chairman, Kandla Port Trust (KPT), 35,000 tonnes of crude was discharged for the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at the Vadinaar SBM, controlled by KPT. There were three out-bound (two with soya bean and one POL) and one in-bound (POL) sailings today. On Wednesday, four in-bound and two out-bound (all POL) movements are planned.

Navy personnel are assisting in the sailings at KPT. Mr. Joti said, and priority was being assigned to POL handling at the port as it feeds the Kandla-Bhatinda pipeline.

While official word could not be had from the public sector oil companies, shipping circles here said there were quite a few tankers stuck at various ports.

Line officials pointed out that the strike coincided with the busy fourth quarter of the financial year. They were also concerned by the impact of the 106 per cent wage rise demanded by the unions along with five-year review period on port tariffs.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. A.K. Mago, Chairman, MbPT, said a 30 per cent upward revision in wages as suggested by the Government, will cause a deficit of Rs. 168 crores in MbPT's operating accounts for current fiscal. While this takes into acc ount the impact of arrears, deficit in 2000-01 is estimated at Rs. 149 crores.

Once cash-rich, MbPT, which is beset with a declining traffic profile, will find it difficult to bridge the income gap, Mr. Mago said. Present outgo on salaries and wages is Rs. 350 crores, 75 per cent of the port's operating expenditure. Besides, MbPT i s already a high-cost port compared to competition.

The Government's offer of 28 per cent wage hike for port workers, subsequently raised to 30 per cent, compares with the 19 per cent agreed to in the last effected wage hike. The last port strike on this issue was in 1989, Mr. Mago said.