Concor's central region on a high

The Central Region of the Container Corporation of India Limited (Concor) is on a high and expects its highest ever export growth of 105 per cent in December 2006 as compared to that achieved in the same month of 2005.

Figures for December 2006 are being tabulated but champagne bottles are already out as the Central Region of the Concor expects export containers to cross the 3,400 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) mark.

This is a fabulous rise of 105 per cent when compared with the 1,600 TEUs dispatched in December 2005.

The throughput for the month is expected to increase to 7,900 containers as against 5,000 containers registered in December 2005. This will mean a 58 per cent growth in throughput terms.

Business was at its peak as the month also witnessed the highest ever imports of 1,200 empty containers as against 450 empties imported in December 2005.

The central region imported 2,400 loaded TEUs as against 2,300 TEUs recorded in December 2005.

In the nine months of the present fiscal ending December 31, 2006, the cumulative exports from the Concor's Central Region is set to touch a figure of 21,400 TEUs which will be an increase of 35 per cent against the 18,000 TEUs registered in December 2005.

Similarly, cumulative imports from the region will be 22,600 TEUs by end-December as against 21,300 TEUs registered during the same period in the previous fiscal.

The items exported from the region included iron and steel, rice, yarn and refractory products. Most of the imports to the region comprise of steel scrap and newsprint.

The Central Region covers five Inland Container Depots (ICDs) including those of Nagpur, Raipur, Aurangabad, Bhusawal and Mandi Deep (near Bhopal).

An exultant Chief General Manager of Concor D K Tripathi attributed the increase in exports to a buoyant economy and certain measures initiated by Concor to facilitate movement.

The problem of pendency of containers at the depots has been resolved to a greater extent. The maximum period of six days pendency has been brought down to two days, Tripathi said.

A 'Tatkal' scheme has been introduced for exporters. The scheme is designed for those who cannot wait for a few days to dispatch their containers. "The scheme allows loading of containers on out of turn basis by paying additional charges," he said.

Tripathi said that rake running time between Nagpur terminal and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) has been improved. The time to reach JNPT from Nagpur terminal has been reduced from 50 hours to less than 40 hours, he said.

"For faster movement of goods we have introduced additional modern container rakes which can run at a speed of 100 kilometres per hour," he said. The Central Region now handles over 40 rakes a month from an average of 31 last financial year. "We intend handling about 60 rakes soon," he said.

Tripathi said, the corporation has won the confidence of the exporters by providing regular service and fast clearance of containers from the ICDs.

In oder to facilitate the export of cotton bales and rice from the region, Concor has decided to provide warehousing facilities at two locations in the city. The warehouses covering 2,000 square metres of area each, will be situated at Wardha Road and Bhandara Road.

These warehouses will be taken on lease by Concor. "We have already floated the tenders and the bids will be opened soon," said Dr Tripathi. Nagpur ICD has two more warehouses.