Pipavav port, Maersk in pact - On a move to gain more business, Pipavav port is set to finalize its alliance with Maersk by the end of this month. Maersk is likely to bring in Rs.1.5 billion to pick up 12% stake in the port project, which in turn would have a priority berthing at the port. Meanwhile, the port is poised to take away a significant volume of the business from adjacent major ports, once the BG railway connection is commissioned in December 2001.
New Mangalore Port (NMPT) handled largest consignment
of furnace oil produced by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals
Limited (MRPL). The Port's efforts to attract deep draft vessels
would give a boost to MRPL for enhancing its production considering
the economies of scale in handling large vessels.
Meanwhile, Maersk is likely to start operations of container service through the port from this month. The shipping line is planning to bring empty dry/reefer containers to the port and has sought permission to use the reefer plug points in the port's container yard. The volume of cargo traffic at the port is expected to increase with the introduction of the shipping service.
Ennore port is likely to start operations by January 2001 after the completion of phase-I. Earlier a proposal has been made by the Ministry of Shipping to Finance Ministry for conversion of the entire US$150 million ADB loan into equity, which would help the new port to raise market borrowings to fund the Rs.3 billion breakwater and dredging work. Moreover, the conversion would make the government to be the major equity stakeholder in the new company. Commissioning of Ennore Port would involve shifting of coal handling from Chennai port to the new entity.
Calcutta Port Trust (CPT) worries over fall in Hooghly
river draught in the past few months owing to shoaling
thus resulting to decline in vessel calling at Calcutta Dock.
This has created problems for the shippers who are required
to reschedule their operations. The port authorities are planning
to take immediate remedial measures unless of which ship movement
from both Haldia and CDS will get affected.
Meanwhile, CPT handled 14.23 million tonnes of cargo in the first half of the current fiscal against 14.39 million tonnes during the corresponding period last year. The port has registered highest growth in other liquid cargo for the period April - August, 2000 amongst Indian major ports.
In a separate development, CPT is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bengal Port Limited for de-notifying the port and conservancy limit (P&C) of the CPT stretching from Farakka in the North to the mouth of Hooghly river in the Bay of Bengal for development of Kulpi Port. As per Indian Ports Act, no port can be developed within any port's P&C limit. Since Kulpi port falls under the present P&C limit of CPT, such a denotification is essential.
Meanwhile, Bengal port Limited, is likely to complete the preparation of two detailed project reports for the proposed minor port at Kulpi on the Eastern bank of the Hooghly within a year.
Mazagon Dock workers has been working on the development of a nuclear submarine, a highly sensitive defense project on which government has been working for quite some time.
Kandla Port Trust has introduced Berth Reservation Scheme (BRS) for all categories of vessels with effect from November 15. The scheme, which has been introduced at any Indian Port for the first time, would help the port to avoid delay in berthing of vessels. The KPT authorities consider the scheme as a step towards well planned ship operations at least cost.
Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) Q2 net profit up - SCI has posted 150% increase in net profit to Rs.0.84 billion for the second quarter of the current fiscal as against Rs.0.33 billion during the same period last year. While the operational income has improved by 19% to Rs.0.74 billion, other income including sale of ships has also gone up substantially to Rs.0.48 billion from Rs.0.19 billion for the corresponding period of 1999-2000. SCI, which is waiting for divestment has mooted a proposal to provide stock options to employees, vendors and agents of the company.
Meanwhile, oil industry's dues to SCI have touched Rs.4.61 billion on account of transportation of crude, demurrage charges on crude tankers, reimbursement of dry dock expenses and direct operating expenses. The corporation has been facing problems in realizing the dues from the oil industry since it entered into a transportation contract with the Indian Oil Corporation in 1998-99.
GE Shipping has announced the maximum buyback price of its shares at Rs.42, translating a premium of about 31% over the existing market price of Rs32. The Sheths has recently hiked their stakes in the company by 4.8% from 9.6 to 14.4%, through an open market purchase. This has delayed the company's announcement of Rs1.5 billion share buy-back programme.
In a separate development, GE Shipping and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have joined hands with Exmar, a Belgium-based shipping company, to float a shipping company for LNG transportation. Exmar would hold a 50% stake in the new company, while the balance 26% and 24% would be shared by GE Shipping and IOC respectively.
American President Line (APL) is planning to expand its business in India by investing in India's shipping market as well as port infrastructure. It has also planned to provide integrated container transportation, logistics and distribution solution to support the growth and expansion of Indian market. APL is bidding for container terminal projects (through BOLT scheme) at Haldia and Chennai besides other projects.
The draft integrated transport policy aiming to meet the transport demand is likely to be finalized shortly. The policy would ensure adequate, efficient and high quality transport infrastructure and services to achieve maximum efficiency at minimum cost. Moreover the draft would suggest an integrated structure for different modes and services functioning as distinct entities with the element of inter-modal and intra -modal competition ensuring organization efficiency and individual viability.
OM Logistics Limited, one of the major Indian logistics and supply chain solution companies, has started operation recently catering to the logistics requirements of some of the largest multinationals operating in India. The company offers multimodal transportation and has an all-India network and infrastructure comprising 57 branch offices with warehousing facilities.
South-Eastern Railway has introduced a
new discount scheme for bulk users of railway services.
The new service, effective from November 1 to March 31,2000,
covers two groups of commodities offered and received by rail
users. Group-I includes items such as cement, iron & steel,
sugar, sponge iron etc and group-II includes iron ore, limestone,
manganese ore, gypsum etc. The rate of discount for group-I
users, offering incremental traffic above the benchmark up
to 10% will be 8% and for group-II it would be 6%.
Haldia Dock Authority has invited offers for
Name of the work: Allotment of three plots of land for setting
up of port-based industries/ storage facilities at Haldia on lease
for a period of 30 years.
Tenders can be collected: from 14-11-2000 to 05-12-2000.
Address for communication: Office of Manager (administration),
Haldia dock Complex, Jawahar Tower Complex, P.O- Haldia Township,
Dist- Midnapore, Pin-721607
Tel: (03224)-63171
Fax: (03224)-63152
E-mail Addresses- haldia@hub.nic.in,
haldock@cal.vsnl.net.in
Mumbai Port Trust has invited offers for
Name of the work: Sale of Mumbai Port Trust land at Titwala Earnest
Money Deposit: Rs.5 lakhs Last date for submission of bids: 19/12/2000
Tenders can be collected: on any working day between 10.30 a.m.
and 5.00 p.m.
Address for communication: Estate Department, Mumbai Port Trust,
Ground Floor, Port House, Shoorji Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai-400001.
Goa Shipyard Limited has invited offers for
Name of the work: Planned Preventive Maintenance Service of
Various makes and capacity E.O.T. cranes for the period from 1/1/2001
to 31/12/2002
Address for communication: Commercial Department GSL Vasco-da-Gama
Goa, Tel.No-521152 and GSL Mumbai Office, C/o Mazagaon Dock Ltd,
Mumbai.
Tel.No-3738321/3738749.
Sealed offers to be submitted between: up to 30/11/2000 on all
working days from 14.30 hours to 16.30 hrs except on Saturday.