Some vessels and are reportedly waiting seven days before being allocated berths at CDS, with no respite expected for at least two months. A Shipping Ministry committee has suggested that Calcutta and Haldia ports should acquire additional container handling equipment and also consider the possibility of building a new container terminal at Diamond Harbour to ease the congestion. Calcutta, it argued, could benefit from the addition of four mobile harbour cranes, as well as acquiring extra yard cranes and terminal tractors.
Congestion to force feeders out of Calcutta
Feeder operators are said to be considering transferring calls from Calcutta Dock System (CDS) to Haldia dock as a means of reducing port dwell times, which are being adversely affected by congestion.