Aimed at strengthening Cochin Port’s position as a competitive and modern hub for maritime activities, Kerala Steamer Agents Association has suggested measures to help boost the port’s efficiency to attract more businesses and provide improved services both for lines and stakeholders.

Varghese K George, president of the association said that effective marketing strategies are tapped to attract hinterland cargo which could prove vital in increasing the port’s cargo volumes. Building stronger relationships with logistics companies and manufacturers in key hinterland regions and offering attractive incentives could lead to increased traffic.

‘Deepen the channel’

To accommodate larger vessels, the association recommended deepening the channel to maintain draft at 16 metres. This would attract more ships, particularly those carrying bulk cargo and would allow Cochin Port to handle a wider variety of vessels, thereby increasing the cargo throughput.

To improve operational efficiency, it would be beneficial to add new equipment such as cranes which would increase cargo handling capacity and reduce turnaround time for vessels. This would also help increase vessel calls, contributing to overall growth in port activity.

The association also pointed out that the current land lease policies could be streamlined to encourage more businesses to set up their operations at the port. Making the process simpler, more transparent and time efficient would likely attract greater investment and foster long-term partnerships, association president said.

Huge losses

At present, all tariffs including VRC (vessel related charges), container handling at terminal, port storage, reefer plugging costs are calculated in dollar, while payments are done in rupee at bank conversion rates. The tariff structure for trade operations in the dollar is making huge losses for the industry. The association suggested implementing all charges/tariffs under Indian currency especially when the government itself is promoting rupee transactions.