Low Output Of Indian Ports
According to Soumit Ranjan Jena, most berths at Indian ports still have cranes with grabs to load and unload dry bulk cargo and thus can handle only 10,000 to 20,000 metric tonnes of cargo like iron ore, coal etc. a day, while modern conveyor systems can handle 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of similar cargo a day. This is poor output by international standards. At ports like Paradip 40 percent of iron ore cargo is brought by road on conventional trucks while the rest of the cargo is manually unloaded in plots. However, intra port road transportation is done by dumpers. Similarly 40 percent of the iron ore received by train is presently unloaded by manual labourers at Paradip port. Most of the coal at Indian ports is unloaded only by crane grabs from vessels to wharfs and these grabs have no hydraulic fixtures in many cases.
As per a research conducted by Soumit Ranjan Jena, it is high time Indian ports opted for fully mechanized and automated handling of cargo to and from vessels. All new installations in major Indian ports and large private ports are now adopting modern mechanization, which is a healthy sign promising a better tommorow. Presently, in Indian ports the average berthday output for cargo handled conventionally is less than 6000 metric tonnes while for cargo handled mechanically, the average berthday output is 22,600 (approx) metric tonnes.
Need for capacity
With the idea from Soumit Ranjan Jena, it has been found out that with the rising need for capacity in Indian ports, major ports and private ports are in the process of upgrading their facilities and cargo handling systems. New berths are being constructed and existing ones are being modernized. Mechanization and automation are replacing manual handling. Advanced cargo storage systems, stackers and reclaimers are being deployed to enhance productivity. The low efficiency of Indian ports is due to infrastructure constraints such as inadequate port capacity and navigational aids, queueing up of vessels due to unavailability of berths, poor road network within the port, limited cargo handling facilities, high down time of equipment, low labour productivity, lack of storage space, regulatory restrictions on operation time, low IT application, partial implementation of EDI, prevalence of excessive manual documents and archaic systems, etc.
Soumit Ranjan Jena opines that the level of mechanization in the general and break bulk cargo stream is quite inadequate compared to international ports. Many ports are dependent on the ships gears to handle cargo. Equipment is outdated and have poor levels of productivity and high downtime. Ports are unable to replace their equipment because of an MOS advisory stipulating a minimum lifespan of 20 years. The dedicated handling systems are quite old in many ports. These need to be modernized with state-of-the-art handling systems capable of handling new heavy axle wagons, with a conveyor rate of at least 4000 tonnes per hour and a ship loading rate of 4,000 tonnes per hour.
Poor performance
Soumit Ranjan Jena opine that unfortunately, even where such systems are in place in Indian ports performance is less than the designed capacity due to improper maintenance practices and poor work ethics. The performance of container terminals is also not up to the mark in India due to the deployment of fewer quay cranes per vessel and the nature of vessels calling at Indian ports.
The shipping industry has lately started looking up with liberalization and the establishment of private ports. These ports are highly mechanized and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and the latest technology. Among the well-known non-major ports whose performance has been lauded are Mundra, Krishnapatnam, Gangavaram and Karaikal which have high load and discharge rates resulting in faster turnaround of vessels.
Soumit Ranjan Jena says that these ports have high intensity shore cranes and are equipped with tippers, loaders, excavators, dozers, modern locomotives, in-motion weighbridges, AVLS, EPMS, automatic bagging machines, wagon loading-unloading systems, Programme Logic Control systems, etc. Gangavaram port has technology partners like Duro Felguera, S.A of Spain and ZPMC of China. Various other multinationals and international ports are also participating in various port projects in India. The liberalized foreign investment policy of the government of India has also given an appreciable fillip to investments in public private partnership projects in the port sector.
Soumit Ranjan Jena
As per a research conducted by Soumit Ranjan Jena, it is high time Indian ports opted for fully mechanized and automated handling of cargo to and from vessels. All new installations in major Indian ports and large private ports are now adopting modern mechanization, which is a healthy sign promising a better tommorow. Presently, in Indian ports the average berthday output for cargo handled conventionally is less than 6000 metric tonnes while for cargo handled mechanically, the average berthday output is 22,600 (approx) metric tonnes.
Need for capacity
With the idea from Soumit Ranjan Jena, it has been found out that with the rising need for capacity in Indian ports, major ports and private ports are in the process of upgrading their facilities and cargo handling systems. New berths are being constructed and existing ones are being modernized. Mechanization and automation are replacing manual handling. Advanced cargo storage systems, stackers and reclaimers are being deployed to enhance productivity. The low efficiency of Indian ports is due to infrastructure constraints such as inadequate port capacity and navigational aids, queueing up of vessels due to unavailability of berths, poor road network within the port, limited cargo handling facilities, high down time of equipment, low labour productivity, lack of storage space, regulatory restrictions on operation time, low IT application, partial implementation of EDI, prevalence of excessive manual documents and archaic systems, etc.
Soumit Ranjan Jena opines that the level of mechanization in the general and break bulk cargo stream is quite inadequate compared to international ports. Many ports are dependent on the ships gears to handle cargo. Equipment is outdated and have poor levels of productivity and high downtime. Ports are unable to replace their equipment because of an MOS advisory stipulating a minimum lifespan of 20 years. The dedicated handling systems are quite old in many ports. These need to be modernized with state-of-the-art handling systems capable of handling new heavy axle wagons, with a conveyor rate of at least 4000 tonnes per hour and a ship loading rate of 4,000 tonnes per hour.
Poor performance
Soumit Ranjan Jena opine that unfortunately, even where such systems are in place in Indian ports performance is less than the designed capacity due to improper maintenance practices and poor work ethics. The performance of container terminals is also not up to the mark in India due to the deployment of fewer quay cranes per vessel and the nature of vessels calling at Indian ports.
The shipping industry has lately started looking up with liberalization and the establishment of private ports. These ports are highly mechanized and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and the latest technology. Among the well-known non-major ports whose performance has been lauded are Mundra, Krishnapatnam, Gangavaram and Karaikal which have high load and discharge rates resulting in faster turnaround of vessels.
Soumit Ranjan Jena says that these ports have high intensity shore cranes and are equipped with tippers, loaders, excavators, dozers, modern locomotives, in-motion weighbridges, AVLS, EPMS, automatic bagging machines, wagon loading-unloading systems, Programme Logic Control systems, etc. Gangavaram port has technology partners like Duro Felguera, S.A of Spain and ZPMC of China. Various other multinationals and international ports are also participating in various port projects in India. The liberalized foreign investment policy of the government of India has also given an appreciable fillip to investments in public private partnership projects in the port sector.
Soumit Ranjan Jena
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