Chennai International Terminals begins trial operations
Trial operation has begun at Chennai International Terminals Private Ltd (CITPL), the second private container terminal at the Chennai port. However, the official opening, delayed by nearly four months, is likely to happen in October, according to sources.
St John Container Lines Pte Ltd. Singapore, a subsidiary of the Tuticorin-based St John Freight Systems Ltd, became the first company to commence a feeder service from the new terminal — jointly operated by PSA International of Singapore and Sical Logistics of Chennai.
Its container vessel, St John Grace, has begun a shuttle service between the new terminal and Colombo with a weekly call at Chennai. To begin with, the ship is handling around 200 boxes every voyage and plans to have around 500 boxes in the next few weeks, the sources said.
The new terminal began trial operations with 480 m of quay length; three quay cranes and ten rubber-tyred-gantry cranes. The full 832 metres of quay length is likely to be ready only by October. The company has sought time from the Chennai Port Trust to delay the official opening, the sources said. Being a ‘brown field’ project, it took more time for the company to get the infrastructure ready.
Also, the berth before being handed over to CITPL was used by Indian Navy vessels, and it took time to make alternative arrangements for the Navy. Recently, there was also a minor accident with a crane belonging to CITPL damaged by a ship. All these delayed the project’s completion, the sources said.
The Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) has signed a concession agreement with CITPL to convert the existing facility into the second container terminal through private sector participation for a licence period of 30 years. The planned terminal capacity is 1.05 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units).
Recently, the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), which fixes tariff at all the major ports, said in its order that the tariff fixation for CITPL is only an interim arrangement, valid till June 30 to enable the new operator start operations. The final tariff based on CITPL’s projections will be set after TAMP’s due process.
St John Container Lines Pte Ltd. Singapore, a subsidiary of the Tuticorin-based St John Freight Systems Ltd, became the first company to commence a feeder service from the new terminal — jointly operated by PSA International of Singapore and Sical Logistics of Chennai.
Its container vessel, St John Grace, has begun a shuttle service between the new terminal and Colombo with a weekly call at Chennai. To begin with, the ship is handling around 200 boxes every voyage and plans to have around 500 boxes in the next few weeks, the sources said.
The new terminal began trial operations with 480 m of quay length; three quay cranes and ten rubber-tyred-gantry cranes. The full 832 metres of quay length is likely to be ready only by October. The company has sought time from the Chennai Port Trust to delay the official opening, the sources said. Being a ‘brown field’ project, it took more time for the company to get the infrastructure ready.
Also, the berth before being handed over to CITPL was used by Indian Navy vessels, and it took time to make alternative arrangements for the Navy. Recently, there was also a minor accident with a crane belonging to CITPL damaged by a ship. All these delayed the project’s completion, the sources said.
The Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) has signed a concession agreement with CITPL to convert the existing facility into the second container terminal through private sector participation for a licence period of 30 years. The planned terminal capacity is 1.05 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units).
Recently, the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), which fixes tariff at all the major ports, said in its order that the tariff fixation for CITPL is only an interim arrangement, valid till June 30 to enable the new operator start operations. The final tariff based on CITPL’s projections will be set after TAMP’s due process.