Team Goemkarponn
Vasco
Container operations resumed at the Mormugao Port Authority on Thursday morning as the Shipping Corporation of India brought its vessel SCI Mumbai to the harbour, marking a major step in reviving Goa’s long dormant container trade. The service was inaugurated by MPA Chairman Dr N Vinod Kumar in the presence of Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed, Delta Ports vice president and Goa in charge Raghoba Kotkar and other officials.
MPA said the reinstated service is expected to strengthen Goa’s industrial and export network. Dr Kumar told reporters the port had ensured that the restart went smoothly. He said the berths have been allotted to the Delta Group under a public private partnership. The company will handle terminal operations while the port provides support services. To encourage early uptake, the port has waived vessel related charges for the first six months. Dr Kumar urged Goa’s pharma and non pharma sectors to make use of the facility so that shipping lines and feeder services gain confidence in the route.
Mohiuddin Ahmed said the company has set highly competitive rates to attract exporters and importers. He said the charges have been kept minimal to help restore container movement through Goa. He added that on berth warehouses are under construction and will allow stuffing and de stuffing inside the port. The terminal is equipped with modern machinery and electrically operated cranes powered by solar energy. He said the long term plan is to shift the entire operation to electric systems. Ahmed noted that the terminal will serve industries beyond Goa, including Belgaum, Hubli and Bellary. He said the company can also handle containers that arrive by rail. Other global operators, including Maersk, have shown interest in the service.
Raghoba Kotkar said the revival fulfils a commitment made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to turn Goa into a container hub. He said the company held several meetings with SCI and other operators before reaching this stage. He thanked the chief minister and Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho and urged them to keep discussions going with the trade to boost exports. Kotkar said weekly container ship calls are planned with an emphasis on environmentally sustainable cargo movement. He said SCI Mumbai, which is already at berth, carries about four thousand TEUs and should encourage industries to try the revived service. According to Kotkar, transporting a container by road costs nearly one lakh forty thousand rupees while many major industries are within fifteen kilometres of the port, making sea transport significantly cheaper and more convenient.
Officials said interest from global shipping lines, upgraded infrastructure and cost effective logistics options give them confidence that the service will gather momentum in the coming weeks.
