Kandla port, severely damaged by last months earthquake,
is now fully operational. All the ten dry cargo berths and four
oil jetties except oil jetty no. 1, at the port are functional.
However, some berthing and working restrictions have been imposed
for the vessels berthing at cargo berths one to six, which handle
rice, wheat, soya, sugar, fertilisers, raw material, coal and
other similar bulk cargo.
The Union Ministry
of Shipping has directed all major port trusts and dock labour
boards to close with effect from March 31, 2001, the Voluntary
Retirement Scheme (VRS) in force since 1991. Recently, large number
of workers opted for VRS opened by the Mumbai Port Trust and Visakhapatnam
Port.
Mormugao Port
has recorded a 12 per cent rise in export /import traffic during
the 10 months of the current fiscal (April-January) over the corresponding
period of the last fiscal. The port handled 15.3 million tonnes,
compared to 13.7 million tonnes during the corresponding period
of the last financial year. The export traffic consists of iron
ore, alumina, calcined petroleum, coke, etc. while the import
traffic includes POL, coal/coke, fertilizers, steel slabs, limestone,
iron ore pellets etc. The iron ore traffic handled at the Mechanical
Ore Handling plant showed an eight per cent increase during the
period.
International
Fleet Review (IFR) in which 30 countries participated was
a grand success. The participation of 15 of 24 Indian Ocean rim
countries in the IFR reinforced the widespread recognition of
the rim countries enormous potential for regional cooperation.
The naval ships which participated in the IFR have come loaded
with consignments of relief materials for the people of quake-affected
Gujarat.
The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has
raised external commercial borrowings (ECBs) of $115 million from
the Royal Bank of Scotland and a three -bank consortium led by
Bank of Nova Scotia. SCI has also raised a $28 million rupee loan
from the Central Bank of India. The ECBs and rupee loan will be
used for SCI's $177.44 million fleet acquisition programme.
Essar Shipping Limited is
planning to mobilise around $200 million from the international
market to part-finance its ship acquisition programme and to float
an international subsidiary to focus on the tanker market.
The company is in the middle of a re-structuring process, focusing
on to energy transportation, integrated coastal services and terminal
business, to make itself a sea-logistics company.
Great Eastern Shipping (GE Shipping) is planning to raise
funds from the debt market, after the Reserve Bank of India made
a cut in the bank rate, to fund its current fleet expansion and
pre-paying the existing costlier debt. The company has already
placed orders for three Aframax tankers worth $112 million at
Samho Shipyard in South Korea. The company is also buying two
offshore vessels for $25 million.
Rail terminal at Container
Corporation of India's Inland Container Depot (ICD)
in village Maliwada, near Daulatabad station, Aurangabad has become
operational. The train will carry export cargo to Jawaharlal
Nehru Port and is scheduled to run twice a week (every Tuesday
and Saturday evenings).
LCL Lines, the MTO division of the LCL group, Mumbai, in
alliance with Express Logistics and Trade Private Limited, its
partner in Jaipur moved its first consol container from ICD-Jaipur
to its LCL hub in CWC Dronagiri Node on February 17, 2001. The
LCL group offers worldwide services from all gateway ports in
India through its network of offices in all major ports and ICDs
in India.
Dredging Corporation of India Limited has invited offers for
Tender for:
subcontracting the Pretreatment/Blasting and Dredging of hard
strata expected to be countered in the following areas in Visakhapatnam
Port Trust. (1) Outer Harbour Turning Circle (2) In front of LPG
Jetty (3) Inner Harbour Channel and Turning Circle. The approximate
quantity of Pretreatment/Blasting and Dredging involved would
be 10,000 to 12,000 Cum. The tenders are invited in two cover
system.
Tender may be obtained from: Dy. General Manager (Projects),
Dredging Corporation of India Limited, Dredge House, Port Area,
Visakhapatnam by submitting a application and documentary evidence
of having experience in carrying out similar works with a demand
draft (non refundable) for an amount of Rs. 1000/- in favour of
"Dredging Corporation of India Limited" payable at Visakhapatnam
issued upto March 14, 2001 between 11.00 hours to 16.00 hours
on all working days.
Last date for submitting tender: March 15, 2001 upto 15.00
hours.
Cochin Port Trust has invited offers for
Expression of
interest for: setting up of ship repair facilities in Cochin
Harbour area from experienced and highly qualified domestic and
international private sector ocean going ship builders/ ship repair
units under BOT format or Joint Venture approach with Cochin Port
Trust taking 26% equity.
Pre qualification criteria: Interested parties should present
their offer with complete details of the project/methodology of
operation, development plan and financial capabilities to Cochin
Port Trust giving details of annual turnover, paid up capital,
experience in ship repair work, details of major contracts undertaken
during the last five years and marketing experience. Parties having
less than five years of actual experience in the field of ocean
going ship repair need not apply. The cover should be marked "Ship
Repair Facilities".
Address for communication: Chief Mechanical Engineer, Cochin
Port Trust, Willingdon Island, Cochin-682009, India
Last date for submitting expression of interest: April 30,
2001
Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative Limited has invited offers for
Tender for:
stevedoring and clearing and forwarding agent for handling 35,000
tonnes of imported DAP at New Mangalore Port during period March-June
2001.
Pre qualification criteria: Interested parties should have
previous experience of handling imported bulk fertilizers, foodgrains,
cement and sugar at New Mangalore Port and handled at least two
to three bulk vessels with these commodities during the last five
years.
Last date for submission of tender: March 2, 2001 upto
12.00 noon.
The Department of Fisheries has invited offers for
Tender for:
carrying out hull and other machinery repair jobs for three nos
of patrolling vessels viz Dakshata, Jaladhi, Pradnya in two covers
(two bid system).
Pre qualification criteria: firms having facilities of
slipway and three years experience of hull and other machinery
repair works in repair yards. Vessels are berthed at Alibag (Dakshata)
Malvan (Jaladhi) and Ratnagiri (Pradnya) and can be inspected
on any working day between 1.00 hours and 7.00 hours.
Address for communication: The Commissioner of Fisheries,
Government of Maharashtra, New Administration Building, 2nd Floor,
near Chetna College Government Colony, Bandra (E), Mumbai-51.
Last date for submission of tender: March 7, 2001 upto
13.00 hours.