Mumbai Port's Container Terminal to handle Dry Bulk Cargo
Mumbai Port Trust has allowed berthing of dry bulk cargo vessel at its OCT (Offshore Container) Terminal on trial basis following persuasion by members of Mumbai and Nhava Sheva Ship Agents Association to overcome congestion. The two vessels that were allowed to berth at the OCT Terminal were MV Julia Oldendroff and MV Interlink Fidelity. Welcoming the initiative by Mumbai Port to allow berthing of dry bulk vessels at the OCT Terminal, Captain Vivek Anand, President, MANSA said, “We appreciate the approach by Mumbai Port for taking a pro-active step towards ease of doing business. It may be recalled that in December last year, MANSA had sought berthing facilities at the Offshore Container Terminal for higher dimensional vessels carrying large parcels of pulses, steel and general cargo.
MANSA Seeks Berthing at Mumbai Port
In order to reduce congestion and lower the transaction cost, Mumbai and Nhava Ship-Agents Association (MANSA) have sought berthing facilities at the Offshore Container Terminal for higher dimensional vessels carrying large parcels of pulses, steel and general cargo. In a letter addressed by MANSA to the Chairman of Mumbai Port Trust states, “These vessels cannot be accommodated and are required to be lightened at the Anchorage Port Lighterage Point. Such repeated occurrences have contributed to frequent congestion at the port. Hence, under such circumstances, over dimensional vessels be permitted to berth at OCT as a special case to circumvent under-due congestion at the port, the letter said.
Dredging India
For enhancing the draft in ports or undertaking major dredging projects, India still relies on foreign dredging giants, a situation not likely to change unless the government comes out with a policy encouraging investment in the dredging industry. European dredging giants continue to make a clean sweep of all major Indian dredging projects, a market condition largely attributed to the lack of an environment conducive to encouraging Indian companies into large scale dredging. In short, there are no parallel “protectionist policies” in place like those that exists in several maritime countries. Big players in the India dredging market…
