Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is betting on transloading in the wake of drying up of dredging subsidies from the Centre required to maintain the draft for ships entering the port.
"Transloading is very important and we are giving lot of emphasis in this. In the long run if we are able to Integrate transloading to transport cargo closer to final destination through inland waterways then it can be a game changer for this riverine port, " KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar told PTI.
He and his senior officials including deputy chairman S Balaji Arunkumar visited the transloading site in Sagar to oversee the operations by floating cranes from a capesize vessel that imported 54,000 tonnes of coking coal to Kolkata Port for two industrial consumers.
This is a clear indication of immense priority given by the port on transloading activities.
Inland waterways can offer next level of growth to KoPT in the long run as it overcomes draft issues to a great extent in handling larger ships which is order of the day in the current maritime trade and challenges of road transport.
Kumar said the port's growth is linked to the success of inland waterways growth but remained optimistic about success of National Waterway 1 (NW1) once the terminals and World Bank promoted new design barges, capable to sail even at 2.5 metres of draft (against 3.5 metres of requirement) are in place over the next 2-3 years.
The optimism is despite a lull in coal movement through inland waterways to NTPC Farakka after the company was not importing coal to feed its plant.
Kumar said the aim is to transload cargo in barges from Sagar or Sandhead from large ships and the cargo directly moves to its destination or near it in north India and Nepal through inland waterways of NW1 evading Haldia congestion.
NW1 can deliver cargo up to Ashugunj, very close to Nepal border.
KoPT has tendered out transloading operator for Sagar and sandheads engaging floating cranes and floating jetty outside the lockgate of Haldia port.
Ripley & Co along with another firm which is the operator has invested Rs 90 crore in two floating cranes and Rs 82 crore in floating jetty.
"For the first time, KoPT has entered the league to handle a capesize vessel. So far, it was handling Panamax vessels," Kumar said yesterday.
Capesize vessels are large dry cargo ships and have a capacity to handle 90,000 to 1,30,000 tonnes.
Panamax ships have cargo capacity of up to 75,000 tonnes.
KoPT was expecting less offloading of cargo at Paradip Port or Dhamra port and more at Kolkata Port if transloading is efficiently managed round the year.
The rated capacity of transloading operation is of three million tonne of additional cargo for the port but the private operator said it can handle up to four million tonne cargo giving direct revenue boost to KoPT.
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