CPT's second container terminal to be operational in a month

Bangalore, July 17 (UNI) The Rs 491.60 crore second container terminal of the Chennai Port Trust, the country's major port in the East Coast, will become operational within a month, Port Trust Chairman K Suresh informed today.

Addressing a Trade Facilitation Meet, organised jointly by the Chennai Port Trust and Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries on 'Destination Chennai Port' here, he said that with the commissioning of the second container terminal, the Chennai port would emerge as the hub port of the Indian subcontinent.

Mr Suresh said the Chennai Port Trust had handled an all-time high of 47.25 million tonnes of cargo during 2005-2006, surpassing the previous year's record-breaking performance of 43.80 million tonnes, an increase of 7.88 per cent. The current year's target was 50 million tonnes, of which 15 million tonnes had been achieved.

He said the more than 125-year-old port boasted of world class facilities, including 23 alongside berths spanning three docks. With upgradation of infrastructure as well as operations on the anvil, the port was all geared up to face the challenges of the rapidly growing global shipping industry.

Mr Suresh said the port was now fully geared up to handle all the transactions of port users through the internet, making it redundant for the user to come to the port. The port had achieved 20 per cent growth in container traffic and witnessed an average growth of over 12.05 per cent during the last four years, he said.

Calling upon the port users from Karnataka to make best use of the facilities available at the Chennai Port Trust, he said Karnataka contributed over one third of the total cargo handled in the port and the trade facilitation meet was organised to take it to further heights.

FKCCI Chairman S C Purohit, who also spoke on the occasion, felt that there was a need to reduce port operational and vessel call costs, which was the highest compared to other ports.

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