Offering special incentives and attractive operational benefits, the container vessel service connecting various minor ports in the State will be resumed by the end of next month. Apart from the previously operated container vessel CH-8, one more vessel, CH-7, under the JM Baxi Group, will join the cargo shipping service connecting the Beypore, Kollam, and Azhikkal ports.
Port officials said on Friday that reports that the services of CH-8 had been withdrawn were not true. They said the ship was out of service at present due to emergency maintenance work and would resume service within a few months.
Figures available with the port authorities show that the container service had been a profitable experience for operators and stakeholders in the import and export sectors. The ship has delivered 3,021 containers as part of service to the Beypore port. As an operational incentive, ₹1.56 crore has been granted to the ship operators. The remaining ₹71 lakh will be cleared with the approval of the Planning department.
To the Azhikkal port, CH-8 had operated 11 services by accepting the operational incentive of ₹26 lakh. It delivered 47 containers at the Kollam port with an incentive of ₹79 lakh. According to officials, no operational benefits are pending for the operators for container delivery at these two ports.
The Port Minister’s office also confirmed that efforts were under way to complete the pending dredging work to facilitate the movement of larger vessels at the Beypore port. As part of promoting new ventures with focus on container movement, an investors’ meet was also under the consideration of the government, the officials said.
Functionaries of major exporters’ and importers’ associations in Kozhikode said the government move to strengthen the Kerala Maritime Board with the latest amendments to the Kerala Maritime Act would contribute to the quick growth of various minor ports. They said three major shipping companies, including the Great Sea Shipping and SS Maritime Shipping, had communicated their willingness to launch services in the State.
