Drop in Gantry crane productivity: urgent attention needed
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Chittagong Port Authority is being deprived of its revenue from one of its largest investment -- QGC cranes at CCT. As per the normal productivity of each QGC, 4 QGC can handle at least 1600 moves in 24 hours from which the Port Authority used to earn USD 30000 (Tk 20,85000). It is regretful that the terminal operator of the CCT berth M/S. Saif Powertec Ltd has drastically decreased the productivity over the dispute of so-called "on-board documentation fee". The productivity of those 4 Quay Gantry Cranes has fallen to 50% of their capacity. As a result, the port is losing huge amount of revenue. Surprisingly, nobody is taking care of this issue. Neither CPA nor the shipping ministry is looking into the matter. The turn around time of the Gearless vessels at CCT has increased to 72 hours which was only 48 hours till the month of March!
As per port tariff rate, CPA will get gantry Charges from shipping agents at USD 15/20'Full containers and USD 22.5/40'Full containers basis; every move will fetch the CCT more revenue. But for unknown reasons, the government is not looking into this important national issue as yet. If this situation continues, feeder operators will not bring the containers vessel to Chittagong, which will impact negatively on the country's entire import and export trade.
The importers then will find another excuse of hiking the price of daily essentials citing the higher ocean freight.
Here is an example of the productivity of one container vessel that berthed on 14th May at 1230hrs. This vessel was supposed to sail at 1000hrs on 16th May. But she could not sail because of the poor productivity achieved by the terminal operator. This vessel has brought 522 units of import containers and supposed to load another 650 units of export cargo. With her existing inducement, she could sail by 16th May, but failed. The operator M/S. Saif Powertec Ltd handled only 811 units in 48 hours, which is half the expected productivity. The CCT berth, recoding 2200 moves in 24 hrs with. 4 QGCs, marks CPA's ever highest productivity.
In order to save the country's only active seaport and to uphold its post 1/11 reputation, the authorities must urgently move to recover the productivity of the CCT terminal.
Dous Mohammed
MGH
Shafi Bhaban (4th Floor)
Sk. Mujib Road
Agrabad C/A, Chittagong
As per port tariff rate, CPA will get gantry Charges from shipping agents at USD 15/20'Full containers and USD 22.5/40'Full containers basis; every move will fetch the CCT more revenue. But for unknown reasons, the government is not looking into this important national issue as yet. If this situation continues, feeder operators will not bring the containers vessel to Chittagong, which will impact negatively on the country's entire import and export trade.
The importers then will find another excuse of hiking the price of daily essentials citing the higher ocean freight.
Here is an example of the productivity of one container vessel that berthed on 14th May at 1230hrs. This vessel was supposed to sail at 1000hrs on 16th May. But she could not sail because of the poor productivity achieved by the terminal operator. This vessel has brought 522 units of import containers and supposed to load another 650 units of export cargo. With her existing inducement, she could sail by 16th May, but failed. The operator M/S. Saif Powertec Ltd handled only 811 units in 48 hours, which is half the expected productivity. The CCT berth, recoding 2200 moves in 24 hrs with. 4 QGCs, marks CPA's ever highest productivity.
In order to save the country's only active seaport and to uphold its post 1/11 reputation, the authorities must urgently move to recover the productivity of the CCT terminal.
Dous Mohammed
MGH
Shafi Bhaban (4th Floor)
Sk. Mujib Road
Agrabad C/A, Chittagong