Kochi: Maersk Line has tied up with Kottayam ICD (inland container depot) for transporting containers meant for exports through the Kochi port.
The ICD was operated by Kottayam Port and Container Terminal (KPCT), a multi modal and minor port using inland navigation connectivity to Kochi port. It is a PPP (public-private partnership) project, promoted by the South Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Kinfra at Nattakom. Mr Wilson Jacob, Managing Director, KPCT, told Business Line that Kottayam ICD has been updated in Maersk systems as its acceptance and bill of lading points and agreement came into effect from April 1.
With this approval, Maersk will now accept cargoes from all the loading ports around the world to Kottayam ICD.
Since the ICD name is updated in their system, he said they can do amendment of bills for the transhipment of cargo to Kottayam ICD.
According to Mr Jacob, the tie up will be a major boost to Kottayam ICD as well as the Exim trade in the central Travancore region. He pointed out that KPCT is now handling various type of cargo comprising rubber and rubber products, automobile spare parts, ready-made garments for exports through the Kochi port. Currently, these cargoes are moved to Kochi by road. The cargo movement through inland waterways would commence shortly once the dredging works in the Kodimatha area of Vembanad Lake by the state Irrigation Department is complete. The company has already procured a barge with a 300-tonne capacity which can carry 10 teus. Once all these facilities are put in place, he expressed the hope that Kottayam port will emerge as a major hub port for exim trade in central Travancore.
It also has a total warehouse area of 40,000 sq ft, customs facilities, weigh bridge, container yard on a 10 acre land, EDI facility, reach stackers. He said that the ICD and the minor port has been set up by KPCT with the overall objective of providing infrastructure facilities for the Customs cleared stuffed export containers from Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts to Kochi Port.
The project will be of real utility to those in the central part of the state once the proposal of the Shipping Ministry to connect the Vembanad Lake-Kottayam waterways to National Waterways No-3 materialises.
The total logistic cost can be reduced considerably by moving the cargo to Kochi Port through inland waterways from the central part of the state, which is mostly depending on road movement, he said.
