The Trailer Owners' Association (TOA) has urged Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) officials and various stakeholders to suspend export movements for a week from Monday to Sunday next to facilitate speedy evacuation of import containers and to restore normality in container terminals.
In a letter addressed to the ChPT Chairman Atulya Misra on September 29, representatives of various associations stated that a similar exercise carried out in December 2010 and January 2011 helped reduce congestion caused by a flash strike last year.
The letter has been signed by the representatives of TOA, Tamil Nadu; Taurus Container Transport Owners Association; Southern State Harbour Operators Welfare Association; Confederation of Surface Transport Tamil Nadu; Interstate Container Transport Owner's Association; Chennai Thuraimugam Trailer Lorry Driver Anna Thozhilalar Sangam; and Chennai Thuraimuga AITUC Tractor Trailer Articulated Drivers-Cleaners & Thozhilalar Sangam.
The signatories have said that congestion was prevailing at ChPT for the last three months owing to non-availability of sufficient gates. It had a backlog of 16,000 to 18,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) containers. Trailers had stretched up to 20 km from gate zero. Drivers were not able to do even one trip a day due to long hours of turnaround time.
While urging the representatives of various trade bodies and port users to convene an urgent meeting, the signatories said that they would not be in a position to supply trailers for inward/outward movement of goods, if the trade fails to implement their suggestion from Monday onwards.
“It is a known fact that the volumes have grown in the last few years. However, ChPT officials are not displaying any sense of urgency to rectify the situation. Even some of the leading chambers of commerce in the city have been mute spectators to the development. In the recent past, key decisions such as opening of gate 2A and commencement of Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project were implemented only after the association members demanded it,” said trade sources.
Talking to The Hindu , TOA Secretary, S.R. Raja said, “Due to the slow movement of wagons and delay in delivery of goods, the trade was unable to support the manufacturing and other industries that relied on just-in-time concept, leading to higher transaction costs and loss of reputation among other things...”
On September 29, the ChPT chairman, in a press release, denied any congestion on port roads as well as at the port gates even on city roads on September 24 and 25.
He also stated that ChPT was carrying an inventory of 18,500 TEUs against the total yard capacity of around 27,340 TEUs. Therefore, he advised the trade not to restrict receiving of export boxes but to act in a balanced manner to clear the backlog.
On the new initiative, the ChPT Chairman said the port was holding discussions with Southern Railway on opening gate No.5 too during night hours.
