Vizag stevedores fear diversion of cargo

‘Restoration of most of the damaged warehouses will take six months’. Thirty-five to 40 warehouse complexes each with three to six compartments have suffered either complete damage or blowing away of their roofs due to gales that lashed the coast with a speed reaching 210 km per hour on October 12.

One of the severely damaged warehouses meant for storage of cargo after loading and unloading operation at Visakhapatnam Port. Photo: K.R. Deepak

Fear of diversion of urea, food grains, alumina and other cargo needing covered storage to neighbouring ports is haunting the stevedores of Visakhapatnam Port following severe damage caused to warehouses in the aftermath of Cyclone Hudhud.

The port, which handles around 65 million tonnes per annum, according to preliminary estimates, has suffered a loss of Rs.250 crore. The offshore tanker terminal which receives crude from Ravva and other oilfields and breakwater structure need massive investment.

“We have already commenced operations in the inner harbour and Ore Berth-1 in the outer harbour. There will be problem in handling urea and few other cargoes. The extent of damage will be known only after inspecting underwater structures like Single Point Mooring for receiving Very Large Crude Vessels for which naval divers are being engaged for video recording,” Port Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu told

The Hindu on Tuesday.

Thirty-five to 40 warehouse complexes each with three to six compartments have suffered either complete damage or blowing away of their roofs due to gales that lashed the coast with a speed reaching 210 km per hour on October 12.

The loss is estimated at Rs.100 crore.

“Most of the badly damaged godowns will take six months. Others are being repaired as the port has started operations,” Visakhapatnam Stevedores Association secretary A.V. Subba Rao said.

Some of the stevedores have already started the process of rebuilding their godowns.

“But the problem is with regard to getting men and material following havoc wrought by the cyclone,” said General Manager of Orissa Stevedores Ltd J.K. Nayak.

The big blow received by the stevedores will render around 10,000 workers jobless. They generally eke out a living by loading and unloading cargo, packaging and stacking. There is fear that ships maybe diverted to Kakinada, Krishnapatnam and Paradip for want of covered godowns at Visakhapatnam Port.