The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata port rationalises marine-related charges to boost traffic on Hooghly

Even small ocean-going vessels ferrying goods between Sagar Island/ Diamond Harbour anchorages and KDS/HDC will be treated as inland water vessels/barges by the port authorities.

Kolkata , Dec. 20

IN a bid to step up operation at Sagar Island and Diamond Harbour anchorages, in turn to promote movement of traffic by the IWT (inland water transport) mode to and from both Kolkata Dock System (KDS) and Haldia Dock Complex (HDC), the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has rationalised marine-related charges.

The essence of rationalisation is that even small ocean-going vessels - capacity ranging between 2,000 DWT and 3,000 DWT - in addition to barges, will feel encouraged to transport traffic in the Hooghly River. A proposal in this regard was approved by the board of trustees of KoPT last week.

The success of the movement of goods in the Hooghly by the IWT mode presupposes deployment of high capacity barges, around 2,000-3,000 tonnes each. However, such barges are not easily available here. The KoPT, therefore, at the insistence of some traders, has hit upon a plan under which even small ocean-going vessels ferrying goods between Sagar Island/ Diamond Harbour anchorages and KDS/HDC will be treated as inland water vessels/barges by the port authorities for the purpose of levying marine-related charges. As a result, it has been estimated, the operators of such vessels will stand to gain because the inland traffic already attracts concessional cargo-related charges.

New rates: For example, a small ocean-going vessel henceforth acting as an inland water vessel will attract virtually one-tenth of the normal berth hire. These vessels will be required to pay certain charges not currently paid by ocean-going vessels, such as dock stayal charge, shifting charge, port due (one time) and mooring hire charge (if needed), but all these charges being nominal, the sum total will be so small that the impact will be "insignificant," according to KoPT sources.

Growing traffic: The present move is believed to have been prompted by the good prospects of burgeoning traffic for anchorage operation. Already large quantities of pulses and huge volumes of log, both imports, are handled by Sagar Island and Diamond Harbour anchorages. The throughputs could have been more but for the non-availability of high capacity barges, which are needed for better transportation of these items from the anchorages to KDS/HDC.

The port sources indicate that once small ocean-going vessels start operating on the route, it should be possible not only to handle more imports (new items such as pet coke and non-coking coal, too, are likely to emerge), but also exports of iron ore from KDS. Small ocean-going ships acting as IWT vessels will transport iron ore for exports from KDS to Sagar Anchorage where large bulk carriers, on completing loading at Haldia, will come for topping up.