A view of Chennai Port. (File photo| EPS)
A view of Chennai Port. (File photo| EPS)

Export, import in Chennai Port hit due to Covid-19, normalcy to take months: Chairman

Chairman P Raveendran said that during lockdown restrictions, the port handled all the ships without any delay.

CHENNAI: The export-import (EXIM) trade has been hit due to Covid-19 with Chennai Port in the first four months recording a traffic of only 11.09 milion tonnes, but during July and August things have improved and there is a slight improvement in the traffic, according to Chennai Port chairman P Raveendran.

The Port chairman addressing the port employees after hoisting the national flag to mark the 74th Independence Day told reporters that Exim trade was hit due to Covid-19 during the end of 2019 and Chennai Port achieved a throughput of 46.76 MT for the year 2019-20 and hoped that in the next four months the port should be able to handle the normal level of traffic.

He said that during lockdown restrictions, the port handled all the ships without any delay.

"Due to the restrictions on road movement, evacuation through rail was effected. Chennai Port has taken measures to move the cargo by rail through the extended gate facility at CONCOR Yard, Tondiarpet.  Chennai Port has moved a record number of 180 container rakes during the lockdown period surpassing all earlier records. This initiative had helped to keep the terminals congestion-free enabling handling of ships without any problem and within a short time," he said.

Stating that Chennai Port has acquired all the equity shares of Kamarajar Port Limited held by the Government of India during March 2020, he said the acquisition will result in the synergy between these two entities which is very essential in the days of severe competition around this region. " The strength of Chennai Port and Kamarajar Port will be harnessed to position ourselves to serve the trade community in a more cost-effective and efficient manner," he said.

He also highlighted the signing of Memorandum of Agreement with Shreyas Shipping and Logistics Ltd for handling EXIM laden Transhipment containers from Chennai to the Middle East (Chennai–Colombo-Tuticorin– Cochin–Jebel Ali–Kandla–Chennai Circuit).

This service is expected to attract transshipment containers from different Ports to India and Chennai Port will develop as a Hub Port.

This is a very important step in developing Chennai as a transshipment port. He also said that Chennai Port will switch over from the existing EDP system to the EBS system during September 2020 which will enable end to end transactions in the online system.

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