BL reported that Kolkata Port Trust has imposed restrictions on the arrival of container vessels at the Kolkata Dock System in view of the acute congestion at the container berths and the yards.

As per report more than 5,500 boxes are lying in the yards now against the normal 3,500 TEUs or so. Unless these additional boxes are evacuated and the yards are cleaned, no vessel can be handled at the berths.

The problem is believed to have been thrown up by the non performance or underperformance of the of the port’s shore equipment, both owned and hired.

One reason for this, according to port sources is that the condition of the port’s mechanical engineering department leaves much to be desired. The department has been functioning without a head since 2008. There is virtually no maintenance of equipment and no supervision of work, the sources point out. The shipping lines are unable to reposition their surplus equipment due to inadequate yard space at the non-terminal berths.

The container storage depots outside the dock too are overflowing. As a result, container movement has been badly hit. Reacting sharply to the situation at KDS, the shipping circles here observe that the users are only interested in getting proper services on payments and the port authorities are supposed to guarantee the services.

Meanwhile, the Association of Shipping Interests in Calcutta the body of ship owners and shipping agents has urged Mr A Majumdar acting chairman of the port to intervene in the matter to bring an early end to the impasse. If the present situation continues, the foreign principals of the local shipping agents might impose congestion surcharge at KDS the ASIC feared.

(Sourced from Business Line)