Cement unit to use rail cargo to reach port

Unloading of the containers were inaugurated jointly by N Vaiyapuri, Deputy Chairman of the Port and  S Sivakumar, Additional Commissioner, Customs, Thoothukudi.

According to a statement from the VOC Port on Tuesday, Dalmia cements, Tiruchy has proposed to export around 9,400 TEUs per annum to Sri Lanka through VOC Port with the aid of newly introduced rail service. 

Earlier, such export consignments from Tiruchy arrived at the port by road. During the last financial year, the cement factory handled around 2,400 TEUs of containers under the port’s logistic support and with the newly introduced rail service, it would facilitate handling additional volume of around 7000 TEUs of containers. 

The e-sealed containers, on arrival at the port would be off-loaded in the area behind the transit sheds one and two. Upon producing shipping bills for export, the Customs authorities would verify details of the container with the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader. 

After complying with all mandatory verification, ‘Let Export Order’ (LEO) would be issued by the Customs Department. 

The Deputy Chairman stated that the strategic priority of VOC Port is to increase the volume of containers moved by rail to and from the port. During the last financial year, the port handled 1.3 lakh tonnes of cement and during the current financial year 30,000 tonnes had been handled by general cargo vessels till June 2018. Citing advantages of rail cargo traffic, he said it would optimize fuel efficiency and reduce congestion at wharf as well.