Chennai Port’s proactive measures ease congestion

Source: http://www.portwings.in/ports/chennai-ports-proactive-measures-ease-congestion/

Port Wings News Network:

Sustained as well as coordinated efforts by the Chennai Port management for the past few weeks have resulted in easing the trailer congestion, which has been a synonym for the port for years.

Mr Atulya Misra, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust

Speaking to Port Wings jointly, Mr Atulya Misra, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) and Mr I Jeyakumar said that the port management’s efforts on easing congestion of container trailers have borne expected results and we have achieved what was not achievable until a few weeks ago.

For the last few years, the Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) has been witnessing long haul trailers lined up for miles, sometime upto 20 kms till Ernavoor, to get into the two container terminals through its Zero Gate.

Mr I Jeyakumar, Deputy Chairman, Chennai Port Trust

As a cascading effect of the growing container trade, problem of congestion by box-laden trailers started rearing its ugly head. At one point of time, the EXIM fraternity in Chennai, including the transporters, started blaming the Chennai Port management for not taking adequate measures to nip the congestion issue in its bud itself.

Though the port management took several initiatives, due to some external factors beyond their limit, they fell flat and congestion was taking monstrous proportion.

The congestion also led to diversion of containers and other commodities to nearby ports such as Krishnapatnam, Karaikal, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Kamarajar, L&T Kattupalli and VO Chidambaranar Port.

On a question about how the port managed the issue and pulled it back to normalcy, they said, “With the concerted efforts of our team of HoDs, we were able to set several things on right perspective, which finally culminated into a result-oriented process.”

“We are happy that the congestion has become a thing of past in Chennai Port and we can proudly say that we are successful in reducing the 24-hour transit time for trailers into just eight hours. With the proposed introduction of RFID-enabled process from the third week of February, the transit time could be brought well within four hours that is a healthy sign for the EXIM trade,” both the senior officials told Port Wings.

Speaking about the measures which had helped the port to ease congestion, they said, “Measures like termination of export-cargo boxes at CFSs, removal of double checking of Customs officers inside the port premises, streamlining of trailer movement inside as well as outside the port, daily monitoring of productivity at both the container terminals and other similar measures have helped the port to ease congestion issue comprehensively.”

Roads leading Chennai Port, which were earlier full of waiting container-laden trailers, now looks free.

“With these measures in place, we hope that we would be in a better position to market Chennai Port infront of the EXIM trade in the region and bring back those players who moved to other ports due to congestion,” they further added.