Kamarajar Port Ltd. (KPL), formerly Ennore Port, has chalked out a Rs.20-crore expansion plan to facilitate increased export of cars.
As a new entrant, KPL is facing competition from the Chennai Port Trust, which exports about 3 lakh cars annually against 2.02 lakh units by KPL.
KPL Chairman-cum-Managing Director M. A. Bhaskarachar said that the port was developing a 58,500-sq. metre car parking yard adjacent to the existing one to accommodate 4,000 cars. The work order would be issued next month, and the yard would be ready within 15 months. On completion, 17,000 cars can be parked at any given time, he said.
KPL handled 39,000 cars and 8.9 million tonnes of cumulative cargo so far up to July 25 in the current fiscal against 7.67 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
Addressing the first interactive meeting with automobile manufacturers, exporters and importers on Friday, Mr. Bhaskarachar announced reduction in wharfage to 0.34 per cent from 0.40 per cent for automobiles.
He also advocated movement of cargo through coastal shipping, and urged the participants — Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Ashok Leyland, Ford, Daimler and Schwing Stetter — to make use of it.
C. K. Srikantha, Deputy General Manager, Impex division, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (TKML), said it was easier to move cars from Ramnagar, Karnataka, to KPL through road. TKML exported cars through KPL and containerised goods through the Chennai Port. On an average, it exported 2,000 cars a month.
