Kerala - Kochi   

Container operators’ strike off

KOCHI: Container trailer operators working from the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) called off their week-long strike on Monday night following a marathon discussion with the port authorities.

The breakthrough came at a discussion of stakeholders chaired by CPT Chairman N. Ramachandran that ended at around 9.30 p.m. Representatives of the Cochin Customs House Agents Association and container trailer operators participated in the meeting that started in the morning.

The container trailer operators launched the strike last Tuesday following a CPT direction regarding parking. As per this, container trailers parked within the port premises for more than six hours were required to pay a fee for every hour thereafter - Rs. 15 for 40-foot containers and Rs. 10 for 20-foot containers.

“At the meeting a decision was reached that the clearing agent concerned who has hired the trailer should pay this parking fee absolving the trailer owners from this burden,” V.P. Chandrashekharan, secretary of Cochin Container Carrier Owners Welfare Association (CCCOWA), said. Besides, the new parking fees would be applicable only from 6 a.m. on January 14, he said.

In addition to this, the time limit for parking within the port premises has been increased from six hours to eight hours. “At Monday’s talks, we have offered the lorry owners additional incentives like eight hours free parking and an alternative parking area,” Mr. Ramachandran said.

Mr. Chandrashekharan said that the port chairman had promised additional parking space for trailers apart from the facility opened recently by a private company.

This had been a bone of contention between the port authorities and trailer owners as the latter alleged that the port was abetting a private player to fleece the trailer owners.

He said that the trailers being detained by the Central Industrial Security Force following the parking row would be released on Tuesday morning.

“It has been agreed that trailers would be released without the payment of the additional parking fee. Container movement would resume immediately thereafter,” Mr. Chandrashekharan said.

However, it is pointed out that it would be days before the operation of the port disrupted by the strike returned to normal.

The port authorities had assured speedy loading and unloading work in coordination with customs and Dubai Ports Authority so as to reduce the inordinate delay in the movement of trailers, he said. It had been a constant complaint of trailer operators that they had to wait for hours and sometimes days together owing to the delay in completing the various formalities relating to loading and unloading work.

C.P. Xavier, president of the Cochin Customs House Agents Association; Abdul Aziz, secretary; P. Ramachandran, joint secretary of CCCOWA; Thomas Joy, president of Island Container Carrier Owners Association; and A.N. Gilbert, secretary, Kerala Container Carrier Owners Association, attended the discussion.

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