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The Haldia region being an industrial zone provides assured cargo volume for the port and many of the units are port-based industries. Unlike other traditional industrial belts of West Bengal, Haldia is still a surging economic corridor.
Haldia, a name beyond the borders of West Bengal and its immediate neighbor states, might not ring a bell for many. Unlike the lime light that hugged Kolkata Dock due to it being in a metropolitan, for long Haldia remained overshadowed by Kolkata Dock, and the labour unrest of the initial years literally raised a ‘Red Flag’ off the port. West Bengal’s reputation is no secret, and it has added to the woes. But, those were the tales from past, once wizz past the hustle and bustle of Kolkata, and step onto Vidyasagar Setu one embarks on a journey of a new Bengal, a paradigm shift as contrasting as Kolkata and Haldia. For few kilometers, there are thriving new age truck terminals embracing the national highway as if making a strong statement about West Bengal’s strategic importance as the nerve centre of trade in the Eastern parts of India. The time restriction on cargo movement and congestion at Kolkata has worked in favour of Haldia. The Haldia container terminal imbroglio has been sorted out after the reign of the terminal came to the hands of J.M. Baxi & Co. led Haldia International Container Terminal (HICT). Haldia Dock has registered 18.72 per cent growth in total cargo handling in the current year as compared to previous year. While between April and July in previous financial year, the port handled a cargo volume of 10.96 million tonnes whereas in the corresponding year the cargo increased to 13.01 million tonnes, and the highest growth has been recorded in containerized cargo with 59 per cent in terms of teus. Apart from which most of the principal cargo has registered growth except non-coking coal. Haldia Dock Complex was developed midway between the Hoogly river mouth and Kolkata Dock due to the navigational restrictions at the latter, and to cater to the requirement of growing cargo volume, especially to accommodate larger vessels carrying oil and dry bulk cargo such as grain, ore, coal, sugar, and fertiliser. Haldia’s location closer to the sea, gives it a relatively better draft advantage. Haldia region being an industrial zone provides assured cargo volume for the port and many of the units are port-based industries. Unlike other traditional industrial belts of West Bengal, like Durgapur, Asansol and Kharagpur, which are fast losing their sheen in today’s highly competitive economic environment, Haldia still is a surging economic corridor. Landlocked countries Nepal and Bhutan for which Kolkata has been earmarked as the gateway port, have gradually started to shift cargo to Haldia as an alternative passage. Apart from which the landlocked states of North East, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh use Haldia as a gateway. Even though the cargo volume of 13.01 million tonne handled at the port is comparatively low as compared to some of the other major ports, but an effective multimodes of transportation has helped the port to evacuate cargo at much faster pace, resulting in a congestionfree environment.
Containerized cargo on the rise Speaking about performance efficiency, G Senthilvel, Deputy Chairman, Haldia Dock Complex said that containerized cargo has been one of the primary growth areas and drawing a comparison between Nhava Sheva and Haldia, he said that while JNPT registered per hour crane movement of about 25, it is an average 22 moves for HICT. With steady growth in container volume, the port is planning to add one more railmounted quay crane. The port is in discussion with the terminal operator about the modalities of installing additional quay crane. Senthilvel said, the existing infrastructure is capable of handling a volume of 2 lakh teus, and the terminal has handled 1.35 lakh teus last year and the volume is likely to touch 1.50 lakh teus in the corresponding year. As per the current trend, the container volume is expected to reach 2 lakh teus in a year. After HICT took over the operation and maintenance of the container terminal in December 2014, the overall infrastructure and management of container handling operation has undergone a lot of improvement and terminal has started gaining traction among the trade resulting in steady cargo volume growth. Capt Sudeep Banerjee, Asst Vice President (Terminal Head) of HICT, said that there were multiple vendors for different operations like vessel side operation and yard operation, and trade had literally moved away from Haldia, but now HICT offers services in an integrated and efficient manner. With infrastructure upgradation, operational efficiency, and improved productivity, the terminal has gained back the confidence of the trade. Two berths have been dedicated to cater to the container vessels. Some of the major exports are petrochemical products like PET, Iron & Steel products, sugar, Ferro Alloy/Ferro Chrome, Aluminum Products, Cast Iron & Pipes, Paper products and import goods are Refractory Materials, Newsprint, Soda Ash, Cement, Plastic Scrap, Iron and Steel Scrap, among others. Feeder service routes at the terminal are: Yangon, Chittagong, Singapore, Port Klang, Vizag, Krishnapatnam, and Colombo. Coastal cargo movement is one of the growth drivers for the terminal. Bulk & Break Bulk
Thermal coal volume in particular is expected to increase for the port. Apart from which vegetable oil, POL products, and chemical volume is also on the rise. The port will be constructing Outer Terminal 2 to handle liquid cargo. The port will be investing about `150 crore to build the terminal, and the project is expected to be completed within 2 years. A liquid cargo handling jetty at Shalukkali is also on the card. Moreover, lime stone volume has increased and there has been demand coming for cement. Transloading contract has been forfeited due to lack of demand by shippers on the basis of tariff, and the port plans to allow operators to offer transload service who are able to meet the minimum requirements.
The port also looks to tap coastal cargo and automobile. To encourage coastal cargo, the port has been providing 60 per cent concession in the cargo handling charges and vessel related charges, and the concession is stretched upto 80 per cent for Ro-Ro vessels. Sical and few others have expressed interest to start Ro-Ro service. Since India recognizes cargo movement to Bangladesh as coastal, significant movement of cargo through barge is another new growth area for the port. Haldia Dock has already handed over 61 acres of land to IWAI to built a barge terminal at Haldia. It will be designed for dry bulk and liquid bulk carrying barges, and there will be floating cargo handling jetty and a floating crane will be operationalized to offload cargo mid-sea near Sagar Island from where the cargo will be carried in barges to Haldia. The Bangladesh government has already expressed interest to start barge movement. An Outer Terminal 1 will be constructed to cater to dry bulk cargo, said G. Senthilvel, Deputy Chairman, Haldia Dock Complex. The terminal will serve companies with captive cargo who are keen to the operation the new facility at Haldia.
Time for a new beginning
Unlike earlier days of dreaded trade unionism, business environment has been on the improvement atleast in case of the strategic port and the industries in the vicinity as these have been operating in a relatively peaceful atmosphere. Haldia, being a riverine port, is dependent on high tide for smooth movement of vessels into the port. Due to draft restrictions, only Panamax or lower and Handymax vessels that too after lightening cargo at other ports, can enter it. Due to the use of lower capacity vessels, importers end up spending additional cost here, rues Barun Kumar Sarangi, VP (Unit Head), Shree Renuka Sugar. The port requires regular dredging due to silting, which is a perennial challenge for the port to maintain draft. Authorities have not left any leaf unturned to get the best out of existing facilities and one example was a flyover being built with a target of completing within a year and half to allow unhindered movement of road and rail bound cargo. Haldia’s congestion free, higher draft availability after opening of Eden Channel, well connected infrastructure remains its biggest calling card for users, and as Bengal geared up for an image building exercise, Haldia could be its best showcase.
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