Shortage of reefer plug points holds up Kochi exports

The Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal of the Kochi Port is experiencing heavy shortage of reefer plug points, which is affecting the movement of reefer containers meant for export from seafood factories to the terminal, reported The Hindu.

Sources in the seafood industry said that shippers are forced to hold reefer containers in their factories, thereby, incurring huge costs towards power consumption and delays in shipments, which are mainly Christmas/New Year contract consignments to Europe, the US, Far East and West Asia destinations.

With the commencement of the peak seafood season from Kochi, the shortage of reefer plug points in the terminal is a matter of concern for exporters.

Due to the shortage, the terminal operator is forced to restrict acceptance of reefer containers to the terminal, and many containers have to wait for two or three days to enter the export container yard inside the terminal.

Senior officials in the traffic department of the port said that the terminal operator, DP World, had informed the port that they have taken steps to rectify the existing damaged reefer plug points and are sourcing afresh another 20 plug points, to meet the demand surge.

The issue follows the congestion at Colombo Port, due to which the two major feeder line vessels calling on Kochi on a weekly basis on fixed days, started arriving in Kochi on the same day.

This has led to the accumulation of containers at the terminal, officials said, adding that the terminal operator has requested the shipping lines to reschedule their arrivals to avoid such situations in the future.
(Source:www.cargonewsasia.com)