The move is the part of CPTs initiatives to attract more cargo to Kochi. Port authorities want to focus on drawing more and diversified cargo and boost the transhipment of boxes. CPT has also tied up for fixed-day train services to Kochi from Coimbatore and Bangalore, while talks are on for services from Mangalore.

The Coimbatore-Kochi and Bangalore-Kochi services have been finalised and are expected to begin soon. Trains from Coimbatore will arrive on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the service from Bangalore will be available on five days between Tuesdays and Saturdays. CPT is also looking forward to introduce two more line services to Kochi that will have an impact on the bulk cargo throughout.

The new services will be introduced by Delmas Midas Line and HRC Industries Ltd. Delmas Midas is offering services between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh via Kochi. The East Africa-Kochi route will be able to attract wooden logs, a new cargo for the port as well as raw cashew.

IndAmex service is a joint service operated by SCI to the US East Cost and it had, late last year, added a call to Tuticorn on a fixed-day basis. Currently the service touches New York, Norflok, Charleston, Port Said, Colombo and Tuticorin.

The IndAmex service will offer a 1,800 TEU capacity per sail and when the Kochi call is the shortest transit time to the US for shippers using Kochi port. The new train services on the other hand is aimed at wooing exporters based at centres like Coimbatore, Tirupur, Tirur, Bangalore, Mangalore, Hassan and Chikmagalur. Some of the cargo targeted are tea, coffee, readymade garments, textile materials and gherkins.

The traffic scene has received a shot in the arm with the Kollam-based Indian Rare Earths (IRE) deciding to ship its ilmenite through Kochi abandoning the Neendakara port through which ilmenite has so far been exported. This is an entirely new cargo for the port and IRE has assured port authorities a throughput of more than 1 lakh tonnes of limonite per year.

The port is aggressively marketing its facilities and has been holding business sessions at various industrial centres. Regular business meets are organised at Bangalore, Coimbatore, and more recently, business meets were held in Alapuzha with a view to interact with coir exporters in the area.

Similar meets have been planned at Kollam and Kannur. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the union ministry of shipping is likely to approach the oil ministry regarding the proposal for setting up a single-buoy mooring (SBM) system by Kochi Refineries Ltd (KRL).

KRL is currently studying the possibility of setting up the SBM facility to cut its costs on transport of crude. However, CPT authorities have offered to discuss the issue and are understood to have put up three alternatives to the proposed SBM facility. The proposals include deepening of the channel close to the jetties as well as a 24-hour crude-pumping facility based on the Puthuvypin Island.