DP World upgrades berthing in Chennai port

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

30 Jan 2008

India's Chennai Container Terminal, operated by Dubai's DP World, will reinstate window-based berthing of vessels, effective today. The move comes after feeder operators serving Chennai threatened to reintroduce a congestion surcharge if there were no berthing and productivity improvements. Terminal management said to Chennai Feeder Operators that they are confident that they will be able to achieve and maintain the productivity if vessels arrive as per their assigned windows. The operators had earlier imposed a surcharge of US$100 per TEU which was later withdrawn, as of January 11, after the port authority assured them of reinstating window berthing and equitable cargo-carting schedules.The terminal operator said it has convened a meeting of the stakeholders tomorrow to review various operational issues. Meanwhile, officials of the Container Shipping Lines' Association complained that their members are facing vigorous resistance from the local clearing house agents community about the choice of off-dock facility for import clearance.The carriers recently took a decision to move import boxes to freight stations of their choice in a bid to speed evacuation of cargo from the terminal.