GCCI seeks better facility at Mormugao

The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has sought the overhauling of facilities for container traffic at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).

The chamber pointed out that while the port has regularly upgraded the equipments to handle mining products, it has somehow overlooked the facilities for the containers.

Nitin Kuinklekar, chairman of the chamber said, "The Mormugao port has only one specialised crane for handling containers known as reach stacker. If it is out of service for planned maintenance or breakdown then the container movement at the port will come to a stand still. With the rules saying that exporters can move containers from the factories to and fro to the port only at night, one finds that reach stacker doesn't work at night. Thus the containers and trailers are forced to spend two days in the port while the loading and unloading activity should take only a few hours.''

"With the sailing time of the ships regulated, the time for activity at the port has to be fast forwarded. As sometimes Goa port does not have enough cargo and the time taken to stock is longer, ships give it a miss. The port needs multiple reach stackers to do the job quickly so that the ships do not leave the harbour without loading, as at present the time taken is longer,'' he added.

The industry in Goa has been trying to get MPT reserved for pharmaceutical products movement in the country, which, at present, is done at five designated ports. But with the problems for traditional industries yet to be sorted out, the industry feels new equipments to handle pharma goods will take a long time to come.

"MPT has plans to create new berths for container and passenger traffic, however, the expansion plan does not include necessary changes in the facilities for cranes and other necessary equipments. With business in Goa building up, MPT can increase its revenue but without proper planning, this can lead to mishandling of goods,'' he added.