Move to reduce stay time of feeder vessels

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Jasim Uddin Haroon
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is planning to tighten movement of some feeder vessels as they have been carrying a small number of containers to, and from, Chittagong port over the past three months.
The CPA officials said that such vessels' carrying of a small number of containers and remaining idle at the jetties are worsening the port's operational efficiency.
The CPA, however, identified some twelve feeder vessels carrying fewer containers and remaining idle at the berths.
"We have reports that the cargo transportation by the twelve vessels is very poor. They remain idle at the berths and look for export cargoes. Such delay creates obstruction to arrival of new vessels," said CPA Terminal Manager Zahid Hussian.
Officials at the department of Traffic, who inspected vessel-wise performance during September-November period suggested that the stay time of the feeder vessels should be reduced further to improve the port's operational efficiency.
Officials at the traffic department said that the vessels carried 300 import-export containers on an average both way although their capacity is much higher.
Port officials said one feeder vessel called at the Chittagong port four times over the past three months ending November this year carrying a total of 1153 containers against its capacity to transport at least 3000 containers during the period.
Department of Traffic in a meeting held last Wednesday at the Chittagong Port suggested that the vessels' stay time at the port should be reduced by 24 hours at the general cargo berths (GCB) and 12 hours at the Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT).
Currently, Chittagong Port has two types of berthing facilities - GCB and CCT. The stay time for discharging and loading export cargo is 72 hours at the GCB and 48 hours at the CCT.
While talking to the FE, member operation and harbour Captain Yahia Syed said that the CPA discussed the issue at a recent meeting and warned the local agents of the vessels against wasting of time at the jetties.
SK Ghosh, an official of a shipping agent, said his company vessels operate on the Colombo-Chittagong route where transportation of export-import cargoes usually remains thin.