In a bid to attract more shipping lines and enhance competitiveness, steamer agents operating at Cochin Port have called for urgent steps to improve operational efficiency and turnaround time at the port.

The call comes in the wake of increasing competition from neighboring ports and rising expectations from global shipping companies. The Cochin Steamer Agents’ Association has submitted a set of recommendations to the Cochin Port Authority, highlighting key challenges and suggesting actionable reforms.

Among the top concerns are delays in cargo clearance, limited night navigation, infrastructure bottlenecks, and high logistics costs, which agents believe are deterring potential business and limiting the port’s full potential.

Varghese K George, president of the association said that effective marketing strategies are tapped to attract hinterland cargo which could prove vital in increasing the port’s cargo volumes. Building stronger relationships with logistics companies and manufacturers in key hinterland regions and offering attractive incentives could lead to increased traffic.

To accommodate larger vessels, the association recommended deepening the channel to maintain draft at 16 metres. This would attract more ships, particularly those carrying bulk cargo and would allow Cochin Port to handle a wider variety of vessels, thereby increasing the cargo throughput.

To improve operational efficiency, it would be beneficial to add new equipment such as cranes which would increase cargo handling capacity and reduce turnaround time for vessels. This would also help increase vessel calls, contributing to overall growth in port activity.

The association also pointed out that the current land lease policies could be streamlined to encourage more businesses to set up their operations at the port. Making the process simpler, more transparent and time efficient would likely attract greater investment and foster long-term partnerships, association president said.

At present, all tariffs including VRC (vessel related charges), container handling at terminal, port storage, reefer plugging costs are calculated in dollar, while payments are done in rupee at bank conversion rates. The tariff structure for trade operations in the dollar is making huge losses for the industry. The association suggested implementing all charges/tariffs under Indian currency especially when the government itself is promoting rupee transactions.