Kolkata Port seeks Customs nod for lighterage ops in dry bulk cargo for B’desh

Kolkata: For the first time, Syamaprasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, has approached the Customs for clearance to start transshipment operations in dry bulk cargo destined for Bangladesh.

The Kolkata Port chairman, Rathendra Raman, IRTS, said that the port has approached the Customs, Kolkata for conducting transshipment operation of dry bulk cargo destined for export to Bangladesh. So far, the port has been doing such operations in liquid cargo.

The chairman said: “We have received requests from the industry to start transshipment operations in dry bulk cargo. We approached Customs, Kolkata for the clearance. However, Customs have some apprehension about this since liquid cargo can be easily transferred from one ship to another, or to a barge, and there is no chance of theft. In case of dry bulk cargo there can be theft while the consignment is enroute to Bangladesh.”

He informed that Customs is presently not in a position that it can get information from Bangladesh Customs on whether the cargo has reached there safely and in the same quantity. “A system needs to be set up where information can reach India from Bangladesh about after the arrival of cargo there” he said.

Hitesh Godara, IRS, Commissioner, Customs, Kolkata, told Millennium Post that it is not possible to pilferage liquid cargo such as LPG or Propane but such is not the case with dry bulk cargo which can be stolen while the ship is bound for Bangladesh.

He said that the Indian side of Customs is in talks with their Bangladesh counterpart to set up a mechanism for the exchange of information relating to the arrival of cargo.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Port chairman Raman highlighted that last year the port handled about 30 vessels in transshipment operations which increased to 4.6 MMT from 2.36 MMT in the previous year. “Most of the cargo was Propane and Butane (liquid cargo),” he pointed out.