Nazimuddin Shyamol
CHATTOGRAM, July 27: Once a feasible and profitable trade in the country, businesses by cargo-carrying small ships or lighterage vessels are facing a crisis at present.
The crisis has been created as the number of lighterages in the sea port and inland has greatly increased dwarfing their demand and a demand made by the vessel workers to increase their wage, insiders said.
Over 400 lighterages have remained idle for about a couple of months in Karnaphuli River as the vessels are not getting schedule for loading and unloading goods at the port regularly, sources at Chattogram Port said.
According to them, the draft of the country's prime sea port is not more than 8.5 metres now and freight-carrying big ships cannot enter the port due to the shallowness of water (draft determines the minimum depth of water a ship or boat can safely navigate).
As a result, almost 75 per cent of loading and unloading work is needed to be done in outeranchorage by the lighterages as cargo-carrying mother vessels cannot enter the port.
The lighterage vessels are being used for loading and unloading of cargoes and containers at the outeranchorage for a long time. The lighterages also carry freights inland to and from the sea port.
Presently, around 1,200 lighterage ships are being used in this regard. But another 200 lighterage vessels were built recently in the country which has created a schedule crunch at the port.
The owners of lighterages partly blamed the present leadership at Water Transport Cell (WTC) for the current schedule crisis. The WTC was formed about two decades ago to select lighterages for loading and unloading ferights in the port and outeranchorage, and determine time and schedule of the work.
"A weak leadership of the Water Transport Cell is also one of the prime causes of schedule crisis of lighterages", they said.
"More than 400 lighterage ships have been sitting idle (in Karnaphuli River) since early last month as the schedule crisis has deepened in the past three months," sources at the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) and WTC said.
They said the WTC is tasked with giving the schedule to lighterages according to the volume of work at the outeranchorage.
They said the schedule is confirmed at joint meetings of the CPA and the WTC which were regularly held since the WTC was formed.
"But the meetings are not held regularly in recent months. (Taking this advantage) some of the lighterage owners are deciding about work schedule of the vessels by their own using their own influence and personal contact with importers and exporters," said a source.
WTC Chief Executive Mahabub Khan said several hundred lighterages are sitting idle (in Karnaphuli) due to schedule crisis.
"A total of 468 lighterage ships remained anchored in Karnaphuli last Wednesday and Thursday. They are sitting idle for schedule crisis," said the WTC chief executive.
He said of the 468 vessels a good number have remained idle there for the last two months. At the same time another 200-300 lighterages are being used in lightering cargos from large ships violating rules and regulations, he said.
"However we don't have prooves in support of our claims against the violaters of the regulation," informed. "So, (the) WTC can not take action against the flouters of the rules," he stated.
"At least 200 to 300 lighterage ships are doing the illegal business by violating rules," he reiterated. Every lighterage ships got at least one trip per month earlier, he noted.
"But, presently, many ships have remained idle months after months (for unethical business by some owners)," he further stated.
"Earlier, WTC held berthing meetings regularly and according to the meeting, the lighterage ships used to get the schedule," he added.
Talking to the FE, some lighterage ship owners said if this situation continued for an indefinite period, many lighterage ships would be forced to scrap their vessels.
Sources said not long ago exporters and importers were made hostage by the lighterage ship owners and many of big industrial groups like KSRM, BSM, Premier Cement, Diamond Cement, Meghna Group and City Group made their own lighterage vessels for loading and unloading at the port, and carrying their raw materials and products to and from outeranchorage and also inland.
The lighterage workers launch movement for increasing their wages after certain intervals, alleged some owners.
On July 24, the workers called an indefinite strike. Following the call, all lighterage ship workers stopped loading unloading on that day. They withdrew the indefinite strike on that night after a successful meeting with the lighterage ship owners association. As a result, the workers resumed loading and unloading from 4:00am on July 25.
nazim07@yahoo.com
