PPT berth reservation attracts Steel Plants

Paradip Port Trust's berth reservation policies for the Steel manufacturing industries has attracted many steel plants in the state. The reservation policy started from 15th October was utilised by the private sector steel plant TATA Steel Ltd. whose 6 to 7 ships were berthed using this policy of Port. Threafter another steel plant Visa Steel entered into agreement with PPT to use the opportunity to get early berthing of their ships. Now it is reported that the public sector steel plant Steel Authority of India Ltd. is likely to enter with an agreement with PPT for the said berth reservation policy. Earlier honourble Odisha High Court in its order had directed PPT to allot berths to the ships carrying the cargo of SAIL on a priority basis. But this order was of little help to the public sector as their ships were not given berths immediately and they had to wait for the couple of days. However if SAIL enters into the agreement with PPT for berth reservation, their ships also will get benefit like other private sector steel plant. PPT, to encourage import of cargo has decided to keep reserved two of its berth for steel manufacturing plants for their import of raw materials for the plant like coking coal and lime stone cargo. PPT is following the policy of first cum first serve policy of all the vessels calling Paradip Port. However the steel plants are suffering as the ships carrying cargo of various traders who are importing cargo through Paradip Port for their trading purpose are delaying the ships of steel plants which is resulting in disruption of the production of the steel plants situated in Odisha and the neighouring states. The berth reservation policy has given a boost to the steel plants who can minimise their losses by way of early berthing instead of waiting at anchorage for 15 to 20 days earlier. The Port congestion which was earlier for 20 to 25 days few months back has come down to 6 to 7 days as there is a less demand on Iron ore by the principal importer China has been reduced which has discouraged the ships calling Paradip to load Iron ore. However this policy of berth reservation is made for 6 months i.e. till 31st March 2010 on an experimental basis.