Friday, December 26, 2008

Chennai container traffic hit by trailer operators' strike

Mumbai: The indefinite strike currently underway by trailer operators protesting the delay in executing the Chennai-Ennore road connectivity project has affected container movement at the DP World operated terminal .

According to sources interviewed by The Hindu Business Line, around 5,000 vehicles have been on strike at the terminal since last week, and container vessels may be diverted to nearby Tuticorin port if the situation continues to worsen and containers pile up at the port. The paper states that, at last count, around 6,400teu in containers (4,100teu scheduled for import and 2,300teu for export) were waiting to be moved out of the private 10,000teu capacity container terminal. The Chennai-Ennore connectivity road project was conceived over ten years ago, but is yet to be completed. The project, originally scheduled for completion by end 2008, entails upgrades to the road connecting the port’s northern gate, shore protection and land reclamation work amongst a number of additional upgrades to connectivity between the ports. The project, which has escalated in cost to Rs 537 crore versus the original Rs 309 crore earmarked in 2000, is not likely to be completed before 2011.
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