THOOTHUKUDI: In order to improve the business, turnover time and safety, Thoothukudi Cargo Vessel Owners has urged the Maldivian authorities to establish a separate berth for cargo vessels from the district. The demand comes after the island announced its plan to build a seaport with the grants given by the Indian government.
The vessel owners submitted a memorandum to Chief Executive Officer of Male Port limited of the Republic of Maldives Ibrahim Abdulla during an interaction held on Friday. They said as the Indian government has a fair bilateral relationship with the Maldivian government and has granted Line of Credit (LoC) for constructing a seaport at Gulhifalhu, the Maldivian authorities should consider allocating a separate berth for Thoothukudi cargo vessels.
The Indian government has signed an agreement with Maldives extending a financial package of US $500 million including a grant of US$100 million and a Line of Credit worth US$400 million for the Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP) to construct a bridge-and-causeway spanning 6.7 km connecting three distant islets of Villingili, Gulhifahu and Thilafushi. It is the biggest project underway in the Maldives, said sources.
Over 25 cargo vessels, called 'Thoni', are being operated from Thoothukudi's old port to other countries. It is a century-old traditional business having historical links - the Thonis, prior to the British period, ventured from Kulasekarapatinam port, a key Pandiyan era seaport that was ruined over the years.
The cargo services to Kerala, Lakshadweep islands, Sri Lanka and the Maldives are largely permitted between October and May as accorded by Mercantile Marine Department (MMD). The cargoes carrying perishable goods such as vegetables and groceries, household articles, construction materials, manures such as cow dung and other general cargoes required for the island nations are being shipped. The business employs 5,000 persons and indirectly benefits over 15,000 persons in Thoothukudi.
Coastal Mechanised Sailing Vessel Owners' Association Secretary Lasington told TNIE over 300 tonnes of goods worth an approximate value of Rs 2 crore is being ferried in every vessel for a trip. It fetches an annual turnover of at least Rs 1000 crore, he added.
Explaining the difficulties in shipping to Maldivan ports, Lasington said one sailing takes a turnaround period of 16 days as the vessels are anchored at the Male port for 10 days to unload the general cargoes. "They immediately unload the perishable goods but delay more than a week to unload the general cargoes,” he said, adding that this impacts the business volume.
A vessel operator-cum-exporter Subash Fernando said the cargo vessels do not withstand the wind speeding at a velocity of 80 kmph as it would drift despite being anchored and has high possibilities of hitting other vessels. The crew keeps the vessel started to avoid drifting and however, it is, is associated with risks. So the vessels need to be halted at a jetty during rough weather conditions, he said.
Further, Coastal mechanised sailing vessel owners' association president S Princeton Fernando said the Maldivian authorities must allocate an exclusive berth for cargo vessels sailing from Thoothukudi old port to minimise the turnaround time, preferably at Thilafushi or T Jetty of Tila Vilingili, and take efforts to complete the cargo unloading at a stretch.
Expressing concerns over the high tug charges levied for every shifting of the vessel in the port, Princeton said levy should be collected at a single point for entire unloading operations, and we should be provided with concessions for berth hiring charges, handling charges, which is extended to traditional and century-old sailing vessel industry at other seaports around the world such as Gulf countries, Sri Lanka. He also requested a permit to load 20 inch MS pipes inside the hatches.