The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JUNE 29, 2021
Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Tuesday inaugurated loading operation on the maiden voyage of coastal shipping service from Cochin port to Beypore and Azhikkhal ports.
The service is part of steps by the Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry to build greater synergies between major ports and non-major ports in order to promote coastal trade and to provide sustainable, cost-effective and efficient intermodal & multimodal customer solutions.
Green Freight Corridor Service is operated by Round The Coast Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, a JM Baxi Group Company. This service will connect Kochi-Beypore-Azhikkal, and later Kollam port will be added to this service. The vessel will call at Cochin Port twice a week.
The commodities that would be shipped would include rice, wheat, salt, construction material, cement, etc. unloaded at Cochin from Gujarat.
In order to promote coastal shipping of containers, Cochin Port is offering 50 per cent rebate in vessel related charges for the river sea vessels.
This service is expected to bring about a marked modal shift of transportation of containers and ease the congestion on the road and reduce carbon footprint. This also augurs well to connect the hinterlands of northern Kerala, particularly the exim trade in Calicut and Kannur region who will gain direct access to Vallarpadam ICTT by sea mode saving cost and transit time.
