PUDUCHERRY/CHENNAI: Puducherry port will become operational on Tuesday as the bi-weekly container feeder service between Chennai and Puducherry ports from DP World Container Terminal was flagged off on Monday. Container vessel Hope Seven, procured by Global Logistic Solutions, will call on Puducherry port on Tuesday with the empty containers.
“It would do away with almost 80 to 100 trucks carrying 100 containers from the busy Grand Southern Trunk Road, besides offering 25% to 30% cheaper service compared to road,” said Global Logistics Solutions India Private Limited CEO Jude Vallabhdas. The cost of transporting a 20ft container is around Rs 35,000 via road and less than Rs 20,000 via ship. The container ship will take around 12 hours to reach Chennai from Puducherry.
On average, around 4,024 containers per month are transported from Puducherry to Chennai Port by road. The shipments are primarily pharmaceuticals, chemicals, minerals, computer spares, raw materials for glass and pulses.
Jude urged Chennai port chairman Sunil Paliwal to allow major carrying lines to nominate Puducherry port as a container yard as it will allow it to store empty containers at Puducherry port. “Or else we will have to bring back the empty containers to Chennai,” he said, adding that Puducherry port has the ability to store more than 2,000 TEUs. It is learnt that Puducherry Port is ready with all customs clearances received for operation while the port handling charges have been deliberately kept lower than Cuddalore port to attract more traffic.
Paliwal said coastal movement has lesser scope in Tamil Nadu than Gujarat, but it is still attractive. “This could open new possibilities of passenger or tourist service from Chennai to Puducherry and further down south.” “The cargo movement will be on the existing road with staggered timing at night. A flyover from Port to Cuddalore road has been planned in phase II of Sagarmala port development,” said an official from Puducherry Port.
Work on elevated corridor to begin from May
Chennai: The work on the 20.6km double-decker elevated highway between Chennai Port and Maduravoyal is likely to begin from May. Chennai Port Trust Chairman Sunil Paliwal said the project has received all necessary approvals. The tenders for the project will be finalised in April after the bids will be opened on March 10, he said, adding that the tender has been amended to include 64 quarters for Indian Navy personnel after the land was acquired to build an elevated highway.