Port of Mumbai Eases Restrictions

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

2 Sep 2010

India's Port of Mumbai eased restrictions imposed earlier on vessel movements following the MSC Chitra-Khalijia-3 collision in the main harbor channel Aug. 7. "Ships with a draft of up to 9 meters are allowed free movement in and out of Mumbai Port both during daylight and night hours," the port authority said on Thursday.
The authority said vessels with a draft of more than 9 meters are being permitted to transit the approach channel during daylight hours only until further notice.
A massive oil spill caused by the collision coupled with fairway obstructions had forced the closure of cargo terminals at the ports of Mumbai and Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru) for nearly a week, adversely impacting the country's seaborne trade that largely moves through these two maritime gateways.
The shutdown and disruptions prompted local ship agents, under the aegis of the Mumbai-Nhava Sheva Ship Agents' Association, to seek waiver on vessel-related and cargo-related charges for the traffic stranded at the ports.
Separately, the Mumbai Port authority said it plans to extend current concessions on container stuffing and de-stuffing charges for a further period of six months ending March 2011.
The discounted rates, slated to take effect Sept. 11, will be $55 per 20-foot equivalent unit, $111 per 40-foot equivalent unit and $166 per high cube container for stuffing, while de-stuffing charges will be $60 per TEU, $119 per FEU and $179 per high cube.
The move comes just as the authority announced a similar scheme allowing concessions on empty container storage charges until Sept. 2011, in a bid to boost its container throughput.

Source: Journal of Commerce