<p>Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the Union Road and Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari to drop the proposal by the New Mangalore Port Trust to develop the container terminal at berth number 8, in PPP mode.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Addressing reporters at KCCI office on Wednesday, president Jeevan Saldanha said that a memorandum has been submitted to the minister, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and chairman of Tariff Authority for Major Ports in this regard. <br /><br />The NMPT has submitted a proposal for upfront tariff setting for development of container terminal at berth number 8 on PPP mode at New Mangalore Port. The berth number 8, which has an average occupancy of about 73.7%, is the most occupied berth among all dry bulk cargo berths. The berth was originally built to cater to the demand of exim trade to handle all type of dry bulk cargoes. It has been a unique selling proposition of the port. If the berth is handed over to a PPP operator to handle containers in addition to other clean dry bulk cargoes, the stevedore and C&F agents will be severely affected. Also, people who have been dependent on the berth operations will face hardships, said Saldanha. <br /><br />He also questioned the need to introduce the PPP mode when the NMPT has been running in an overall profit of Rs 180 crore, he asked. Moreover, the proposal was not forwarded to KCCI by NMPT or tariff authority for Major Ports (TAMP). NMPT has not given due notice or adequate time and opportunity to the stakeholders to respond to the original proposal. <br /><br />The KCCI has voiced its opinion during the hearing of TAMP on October 26, 2016. It was mentioned that berth number 8(14) was originally built to have a water depth of 15.10 metres to handle ships with a draft of 14 metres. The quay wall has a design depth of 17 metres and by dredging in front of the berth, it can handle ships with a draft of 16 m and ships with a maximum of 130000 – 140000 DWT to be given away to a private player on a PPP mode after 11 years for a further lease period of 30 years, said the president.<br /><br />The four highest bidders for the PPP are P&O Ports FZE, Dubai, in consortium with DP World FZE, Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, Bollore Africa Logistics SAS, France in consortium with India Ports and Logistics Pvt Ltd and India Cargo Terminals and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, he said. <br /><br />Caveat petition against KCCI<br />Jeevan Saldanha said that the NMPT has filed a caveat petition at the district and sessions court, against the KCCI and its affiliated bodies.<br /><br />KCCI vice president Vathika Pai and secretary Pravin Kumar Kalbavi were present.<br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the Union Road and Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari to drop the proposal by the New Mangalore Port Trust to develop the container terminal at berth number 8, in PPP mode.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Addressing reporters at KCCI office on Wednesday, president Jeevan Saldanha said that a memorandum has been submitted to the minister, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and chairman of Tariff Authority for Major Ports in this regard. <br /><br />The NMPT has submitted a proposal for upfront tariff setting for development of container terminal at berth number 8 on PPP mode at New Mangalore Port. The berth number 8, which has an average occupancy of about 73.7%, is the most occupied berth among all dry bulk cargo berths. The berth was originally built to cater to the demand of exim trade to handle all type of dry bulk cargoes. It has been a unique selling proposition of the port. If the berth is handed over to a PPP operator to handle containers in addition to other clean dry bulk cargoes, the stevedore and C&F agents will be severely affected. Also, people who have been dependent on the berth operations will face hardships, said Saldanha. <br /><br />He also questioned the need to introduce the PPP mode when the NMPT has been running in an overall profit of Rs 180 crore, he asked. Moreover, the proposal was not forwarded to KCCI by NMPT or tariff authority for Major Ports (TAMP). NMPT has not given due notice or adequate time and opportunity to the stakeholders to respond to the original proposal. <br /><br />The KCCI has voiced its opinion during the hearing of TAMP on October 26, 2016. It was mentioned that berth number 8(14) was originally built to have a water depth of 15.10 metres to handle ships with a draft of 14 metres. The quay wall has a design depth of 17 metres and by dredging in front of the berth, it can handle ships with a draft of 16 m and ships with a maximum of 130000 – 140000 DWT to be given away to a private player on a PPP mode after 11 years for a further lease period of 30 years, said the president.<br /><br />The four highest bidders for the PPP are P&O Ports FZE, Dubai, in consortium with DP World FZE, Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, Bollore Africa Logistics SAS, France in consortium with India Ports and Logistics Pvt Ltd and India Cargo Terminals and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, he said. <br /><br />Caveat petition against KCCI<br />Jeevan Saldanha said that the NMPT has filed a caveat petition at the district and sessions court, against the KCCI and its affiliated bodies.<br /><br />KCCI vice president Vathika Pai and secretary Pravin Kumar Kalbavi were present.<br />DH News Service</p>
