KOCHI: Kerala based dealers of tiles and sanitaryware products are at the receiving end after their 16 containers shipped from Gujarat's Mundra port are stuck at the Kochi port since September first week.
The containers are stuck following a dispute between the main transporter Alpha Trans Coastal Exim Services and its subcontractor.
Four Kerala companies led by Edapally's Zirton Global, Premium Granites, Kollam, Pavin Traders, Konni, and Signature Homes, Puthupally, have filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Police, Kochi, and at the Mulavukad police station.
"The complainants (4 companies) have individually placed purchase orders with the respective manufacturers and suppliers from Morbi, and Gujarat, and purchased various finished products from them," said the complaint.
The complaint has named six persons/entities including Rajula, Gujarat-based Alpha Trans Coastal Exim Services, and its sub-contractor Spaceland Shipping & Logistics.
The goods are worth over Rs 60 lakh, said Capt. Thomas Kurian, patron of All Kerala Tiles & Sanitaryware Dealers Association (AKTSDA).
One of the complainants has also approached the Principal Munsiff Court, Ernakulam, against the "illegal detention" of the containers.
To the utter shock of the Kerala traders, Kurian said the accused have colluded together and "clandestinely and illegally", loaded nine containers back on another vessel (Shipping Corporation of India (SCI. Chennai) on her voyage which commenced from Kochi to Pipavav port on October 10. SCI is named as the sixth accused in the complaint.
"We have paid all the money for the goods. We have the lorry bill, e-way bill and an invoice from Gujarat to Kochi. We have all the documents. But, we don't have the ownership of the goods," said Kurain.
According to him, the main reason for this is the prevailing Multimodal Transportation of Goods Act, 1993 (MMTG). "As per this Act, which is prevailing in the shipping industry, the ownership of the goods lies with the shipping lines, which is in turn given to the transporter. While this Act gives ownership rights to the real owners in case of exports, it does not give such rights for shipments within the country," he added.
He said there are about 3,000 containers worth over Rs one crore being transported from Mundra to Kochi port by the AKTSDA members every month.
"Instead of promoting trade, these kinds of issues will hamper future business," he added.