Port Wings Maritime Exim Weekly Newspaper 19 May 2021 E-paper

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May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

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Published from Chennai and Circulated among the trade across the country RNI TNENG/2014/59741

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

8 Pages

India Launches Probe Against China, Thailand And Vietnam Chennai

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Port Wings News Network he commerce ministry has initiated an anti-dumping investigation against the import of solar cells from China, Thailand and Vietnam, according to a news report in Financial Express.

The investigation was triggered by an application by the Indian Solar Manufacturers’ Association (ISMA).

Solar cells are the basic ingredient used in the manufacturing of solar modules and Chinese products are 15-20% cheaper than their Indian counterparts.

The notice issued by the directorate general of trade remedies said that prima facie evidence of dumping was found against the aforementioned product of the above countries, leading to injury to the domestic industry. Low module prices have played a major role in bringing solar tariffs down to the current low of Rs 1.99/unit, but it has kept the domestic solar sector relied on imports and local manufacturers have found it difficult to sell their products.

A similar anti-dumping investigation against the import of solar cells from China, Taiwan and Malaysia was initiated by the government in July, 2017 but was eventually called off in March, 2018 on ISMA’s request.

To boost domestic manufacturing, the Centre had imposed a 25% safeguard duty on solar imports from China and Malaysia in July 2018 for two years, which was extended to July 2021, at a rate of 15%.

As FE reported earlier, after the safeguard duty imposition on

China and Malaysia, solar imports had since surged from Vietnam and Thailand. Between FY18 and FY20, imports of solar cells and modules from Vietnam and Thailand recorded a growth rate of 800% and 5,750%, to $136 million and $117 million,

respectively. Import of Chinese products have fallen 60% to $1.3 billion in the same period.

Overall solar imports have come down by 72% annually in AprilFebruary FY21 to $468.5 million due to the Covid-19 restrictions, as the pace of solar capacity addition

also dwindled to 5 giga-watt (GW) in the same period, down by about 45% annually.

From the beginning of FY23, solar module and cell imports will attract a basic customs duty (BCD) of 40% and 25%, respectively. However, procurement of these items from China is seen to surge significantly in the last three quarters of FY22 as there will be no import barriers in place after the safeguard duty regime ends in July. The government has introduced the Rs 4,500-crore productionlinked incentive scheme for solar module manufacturing, which analysts at India Ratings said, will push the sales of 20 GW of domestic product from the output capacity developed under the fiveyear programme.

As on date, the domestic cell manufacturing capacity is around 3 GW and module making capacity is 10 GW.

Chennai Port Trust Chairman Meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin Chennai

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Port Wings News Network hri. Sunil Paliwal, IAS., Chairman, Chennai Port Trust & CMD, Kamarajar Port Limited along with Shri S.Balaji Arunkumar, IRTS, Deputy Chairman, Chennai Port Trust, met Shri M.K.Stalin, Chief Minister

of Tamil Nadu on 13 May at State Secretariat.

According to a media release, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust briefed about the port operations and safety measures taken on Covid 19 at the port to the Chief Minister.

Contd. on page -2

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Wing 7 Feather 40

Chennai

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Port Wings News Network pril 2021 may be remembered by some as the month in which at least part of the air cargo figures returned to some kind of normality. Although worldwide volumes were up by 53% and wide-body capacity by a ‘matching’ 51% year-over-year (“YoY”), air cargo increased by a much more ‘normal’ 3% when compared to April 2019. Yet, it is not unjustified to speak of a business continuing to be turned upside down, as many other measures were not even near ‘normal’…

The average rate/ kg went up from an already ‘unheard of’ level of USD 3.12 in March to USD 3.30, even though it came down by 12% from the crazy level of April 2020. Widebody freighter capacity increased by 1% YoY, but what to think of the changing role of w/b passenger aircraft? They produced one-fifth of total cargo capacity in April 2020, when many passenger flights were cancelled. A year later, the figures are completely different: in April 2021, cargo capacity on w/b passenger aircraft almost tripled YoY, and comes very close to the total capacity produced on w/b freighters.

Breaking down some of our data, we see that product categories showed varying YoY-results in April. General cargo (+61%), live animals (+78%) and flowers (+67%) did better than average, as the latter two categories also managed

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Air Cargo Volumes Back To Normal, Rates Still Go Up

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to further increase their rates compared to April 2020! The usual drivers of special cargo did not fulfil their role this month: vulnerable/ high-tech (+30%) and pharma (-3%) were lagging far behind the average growth of 53% realised this month, but they increased most when comparing them with April 2019! Contrary to what one may have thought, the market share of

the world’s 20 largest forwarders did not change, even though three fell out of the group to be replaced by three others. Growth percentages within this group varied between 17.5 % and 130%.

Although the question by definition cannot be answered, many people would like to find out what would have happened without COVID. Trying to make any sense of air cargo developments, calls for comparing this year with the preCOVID-year of 2019., which leads to the following overview for the month of April: The Americas actually gained most in air cargo exports (+8%), a bit more than Asia Pacific (+7%) and Europe (+1%). Africa (-5%) and the Middle East & South Asia (MESA, -17%) were less fortunate.

One level lower, we see Mexico (+14%), North East Asia (+12%) and USA (+10%) as clear winners, whilst Australasia (-27%), the Gulf Area (-22%), South Asia (-19%) and Southern Africa (-17%) show seriously weakened positions.

Continuing this “Yo2Y”comparison, the growth of Express business has been most impressive Contd. on page -2

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Inside Swire Shipping To Introduce...

Navy, Coast Guard Rescue 317...

Paradip Port Trust Awards...

V.O.C Port Handles 31.79...

Pg-2 Pg-3 Pg-4 Pg-5

Vessel Position at Terminals and Ports... Pg-6 Latest Customs Exchange Rates... Pg-7 USD 400 Billion Milestone... Pg-7 APM Terminals Agrees Divestment... Pg-8

RNI No. TNENG/2014/59741 Postal Registration No. TN/CNIGPO/067/2021-2023 Posted at Pathrika Channel, Egmore, RMS, Chennai-8. Date of Publication - Wednesday, Posted on Wednesday (19.05.2021)

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May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

Air Cargo Volumes Back To Normal...

Wednesday, May 13, 2021

Wing 7 Feather 40

Second Wave of Destruction…

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ith the second wave of Coronavirus forcing India upside down, several indicators clearly show that Indian economy is already feeling the stress of the ongoing deadly pandemic wave. After a hasty and unplanned two-month-long lockdown last year put Indian economy into coma, the Narendra Modi-led Union Government has made it crystal clear that plan to implement a similar lockdown in second wave is remote and he had told state chief ministers that they must use lockdowns as the last resort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

According to Barclays India Economist Rahul Bajoria economic activity picked up and eked out a growth rate of 0.4 percent for the quarter ending December compared to the same period the year before.

The second wave has set off fears of another national lockdown.

Last year’s lockdown, one of the world’s strictest, was implemented with a mere four hours’ notice, trapping many with little access to basic services. So one cannot really blame the rumour mill for being on overdrive of late.

Continued from page -1 (+59%), shipments in excess of 5,000 kilograms increased by 32%, reflecting the growing importance of charters during the COVIDperiod. All other so-called ‘weight breaks’ showed a volume decline.

Rates are still 83% up worldwide, but continue to show very large regional differences: from Asia Pacific they have more than doubled (+117%), but from the Americas and Africa they increased by 30% ‘only’. Judging by some daily news messages, one would think

that the rate increases from China to Europe (+117%) and to North America (+152%) are in a class of their own. Yet, this view completely overlooks the fact that rate increases from Europe to North America were 137%... A look at the 20 largest country-to-country markets, shows that rates in markets other than those originating in Asia Pacific, more than doubled from Germany to USA Midwest and from Germany to USA Atlantic South. In the other Top-20 markets, rate increases were comparatively modest.

Chennai Port Trust Chairman Meet...

Continued from page -1 CHENNAI PORT TRUST LAUNCHES COVID – 19 VACCINATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF SEA FARERS The Chennai Port Trust has launched a COVID – 19

its Chairman Shri Sunil Paliwal, I.A.S in the presence of Shri S. Balaji Arunkumar, I.R.T.S, Deputy Chairman, Chennai Port Trust and Dr N. Padma, Chief Medical Officer, Chennai Port Trust. On the occasion,

vaccination drive for the benefit of seafarers from 17 May 2021 as per the instructions of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, DG Shipping and Ministry of Health.

The drive was inaugurated by

Paliwal informed that the Port administration is taking all measures to safeguard the Port’s workforce and their families from the pandemic.

On first day, 10 seafarers got first dose of vaccination. The vaccination

While hardly anyone expects the country to be locked down like last year, it remains anyone’s guess as to how the virus may progress and what actions the federal or state governments may take in response.

For now, the International Monetary Fund is forecasting India’s growth rate for 2021 to be 12.5 percent.

Sectors such as malls, travel and tourism, spas and salons will most likely bear the brunt of the second wave as Indians once again forced to be at home to avoid getting infected.

The vast majority – 90.7 percent (PDF) – of India’s workers operate in the informal sector, without written contracts, paid leave, health benefits or social security, according to the International Monetary Fund’s latest available data. So a prolonged period of uncertainty could affect hundreds of millions of India’s poor and that could again hurt growth.

One of the biggest impacts of the 2020 lockdown was a sharp rise in unemployment, especially in the unorganised sectors. In April 2020, unemployment in India touched 23%. However, as the country reopened, the job market started recovering and by February 2020, the unemployment rate fell to 6.9%.

This month though, the unemployment rate has gone up to 8.40%. The crisis is being felt most in urban parts of the country, where the joblessness is above 10%.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) National President, Dr JA Jayalal has come forward urging the citizens to get vaccinated.

Emphasizing the importance of vaccines, Dr Jayalal said that Sample vaccination is the “only way forward”. He also highlighted that TEXT without mass vaccination, it will be dangerous to face the third wave “which is bound to happen.” IMA National President Dr Jayalal has advised for door-to-door vaccination drive to combat the current crisis of COVID-19.

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So, the only option available before the Government of India is mass vaccination, so that economy gets a chance for survival.

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SUBSCRIPTION

Did the world’s largest economies outside China weather the COVIDstorm? We looked at the overall air cargo performance (export + import) in the first 4 months of 2021 compared to 2019. India lost 14% in volume, the group of G7-countries lost 1%, while Brazil gained 2%. In the G7, Japan was by far the most successful (+10%), followed by the USA (+2%). The other five G7 members (Germany, Italy, France, the UK and Canada, in that order) notched up decreases ranging from -1% to -18%.

for the seafarers will be a continuous one and will be undertaken every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (10.30 AM to 12.30 PM) at Chennai Port Trust Hospital. For, vaccination, the sea farers will have to furnish their personal details including Adhaar card no, mobile no, e-mail id, CDC no (Continuous Discharge Certificate – a Mariner’s t e r m ) , Company name, Agent name to the C h e n n a i Port’s Chief Medical Officer (cmo@chennaiport.gov.in). Upon allotment of a slot they can come and get themselves vaccinated.

The Chairman appealed to the seafarers to come forward and avail the facility.

Swire Shipping To Introduce New Direct Service Connecting Singapore And North West Australia Chennai

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Port Wings News Network wire Shipping will operate a new North West Australia direct service (NWD) from June 2021, offering customers a direct connection between Singapore and North West Australia. The new service is made up of two loops: the first loop will serve Singapore, Darwin, Port Hedland and operate with a transit time of 12 days from Singapore to Port Hedland; the second loop will operate from Singapore to Dampier, with a transit time of nine days.

The direct connections will enable Swire Shipping’s customers in the region to better plan their inventory and manage their supply chains more efficiently. Customers who previously relied on inland transport through the Fremantle gateway now have an additional option to transport cargo to/from North West Australia.

Said Mr Randy Selvaratnam, Swire Shipping’s General Manager for the Pacific, “We are pleased to offer customers in the region a direct connection between Singapore and North West Australia through our new NWD service. Over the past few years, we have made significant investments to improve our product offerings and provide more direct connections so that we can save our customers’ time.”

The new service between Singapore and Port Hedland also

aims to reduce the overall carbon footprint from cargo delivery on current modes of transport. To transport cargo from Singapore to Port Hedland, customers previously needed to ship their cargo from Singapore to Fremantle before

using inland transportation to Port Hedland. With this new service, customers can now ship their cargo directly from Singapore to Port Hedland, which will reduce carbon emissions by up to 35,000 metric tons a year1, the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions produced from 7,600 passenger vehicles in a year2.

Mr Selvaratnam added, “Swire Shipping is committed to having a positive impact on the communities and the environment where we operate. In addition to deploying modern and eco-friendly vessels, we also seek innovative ways to

minimise our carbon footprint as part of our decarbonisation journey.

This is one of the many steps we are taking to reduce overall carbon emissions and achieve our longterm goal of decarbonisation.”

Swire Shipping will deploy a geared 7,602DWT multi-purpose vessel, MV Souni, on Loop 1 of the new service (Singapore – Darwin – Port Hedland – Singapore). On Loop 2 (Singapore – Dampier – Singapore), Swire Shipping will have slot access to MV Karratha Bay, a 7,520DWT vessel operated by SeaSwift.

Both vessels are capable of carrying containerised, out-of-gauge and breakbulk cargo.

Swire Shipping has worked closely with customers across various industries and is wellestablished in serving Australia’s regional ports. Across its network, Swire Shipping operates eight services connecting Australia to the rest of the world. With a commitment to enrich lives by connecting customers and communities in the Pacific, Swire Shipping strives to increase its network connectivity and improve its overall product offerings by offering direct services to the region.

May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

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Navy, Coast Guard Rescue 317 on Barges Port Wings News Network attling extreme weather, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have so far rescued 317 people on board two barges that went adrift in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai hours before Cyclone Tauktae made landfall on the Gujarat coast, but 390 more remain stranded or missing from offshore facilities, according to a news report in

“In another operation, a Navy Seaking helicopter was launched to rescue the crew of GAL Constructor, which ran aground north of Mumbai. It rescued 35 crew members,” he said.

SAR efforts are also in progress off the coast of Gujarat for three vessels - Support Station 3, Great Ship Aditi and Drill Ship Sagar Bhushan, which are 15-20 nautical miles south-east off Gujarat coast (Pipavav), he said.

near Mumbai and the presence of mobile connectivity resulted in help being redirected to assist other assets deep in the sea, he added.

A rescuee from P305 said nobody tried to jump into the sea till the barge was afloat. All were together and safe till then, he added.

Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Murlidhar Sadashiv Pawar said the ongoing SAR is among the most challenging search and rescue operations he has seen in the last four decades.

Rescue vessels including ‘’ICGS Shoor’’ of Coast Guard have reached ONGC’’s drillship ‘’Sagar Bhushan’’, which lost its anchors and started drifting north, sources said.

Navy ships were deployed on Monday after receipt of a request for assistance for barge ‘’P305’’ adrift off Heera oil fields in Bombay high area with 273 personnel on board. The oil fields are around 70 km southwest of Mumbai.

On 18 May, a Navy helicopter brought

Outlook India quoting an official.

The accommodation barge P305 which was servicing ONGC offshore operations has sunk, the official said, adding 180 of the 273 personnel on board were rescued till late evening.

Three barges and an oil rig with 707 personnel on board went adrift on Monday.

These included barge P305 with 273 persons, cargo barge GAL Constructor with 137 personnel on board, accommodation barge SS-3 with 196 personnel on board and the Sagar Bhushan oil rig with 101 personnel on board, a Navy official said.

While all the 137 people on board the cargo barge GAL Constructor were rescued, 180 of the 273 onboard P305 have been rescued so far, the official said.

“Two Coast Guard Chetak helicopters operating from the Coast Guard Air station in Daman rescued personnel on board the GAL Constructor. One more Chetak helicopter was also pressed into service for the SAR operations,” he said.

PIPAVAV PORT Pipavav port, an all-weather port located 152 nautical miles from Nhava Sheva port near Mumbai,” the official said.

“Navy ship INS Talwar has arrived in the area and taken over the duties of ‘’On-Scene Coordinator’’ for coordination of the SAR effort. The Western Naval Command, in coordination with ONGC and DG shipping has diverted five tugs to render assistance.

“Great Ship Aditi and Support Station 3 have been able to drop anchor. Meanwhile, OSV’’s Samudra Sevak and SV Cheel are connected to manoeuvre Sagar Bhushan, and the situation at present appears to be stable.

The sea continues to be extremely rough with winds of 25-30 knots (approx 35-55 kmph), posing a challenge to the ships and aircraft involved in SAR operations,” the Navy official said.

Images circulated by the Navy showed destroyer INS Kolkata picking up two survivors overnight from the barge P305. The Navy on Tuesday said the barge has sunk.

“As we speak, four of our Navy ships are on-site - INS Kochi, INS Kolkata, INS Talwar and INS Betwa. For the last 20 hours, they

some of the rescuees to INS Shikra (formerly known as INS Kunjali) naval air station at Colaba in south Mumbai.

“Navy ships INS Beas, INS Betwa and INS Teg joined INS Kochi and INS Kolkata for undertaking Search and Rescue (SAR) operations for Barge P-305, which sank 35 nautical miles from Mumbai in the Mumbai Offshore Development Area,” the Navy spokesperson said.

SAR has also been augmented with P8I and naval helicopters, who continue to undertake an aerial search in the area. Since the commencement of the SAR from Monday, 180 survivors have been recovered so far, he said.

Dramatic TV visuals also showed personnel on board what looked like a sinking rig being rescued. There was no confirmation from Navy officials on the vessel’’s identity.

The GAL Constructor barge was out of control for three days before the cyclonic storm led to its sinking, Avinash Aadke, a rescued worker said after being flown to Mumbai.

Aadke also said help was being sought from the Coast Guard. Proximity to land of the barge, which was anchored close to Alibaug

have been battling to search and rescue as many people as they can through the night and the challenging weather conditions,” he said.

“The main operation pertains to searching and rescuing people from the barge P305 which sank about 60 km from Mumbai at 7 pm on Monday. The main challenge is the weather itself. This is an extremely severe cyclonic storm with winds of 80-90 knots, wave heights of 6 to 8 metres, continuous rains, heavy clouding, and almost zero visibility,” he said.

The three barges, which were deployed by Afcons for a contract the company had got from ONGC, had 599 workers on board when the cyclone hit, official sources said.

Besides the barges, one drilling rig of ONGC, ‘’Sagar Bhushan’’, with 101 people on board (37 ONGC employees and 64 contractual workers), too drifted away from its location.

Barge ‘’Support Station-3’’ had 201 persons and is drifting North-West but is clear of all operational installations of Mumbai High India’’s biggest oilfield. Operations to bring these persons to safety are on.

State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) had on Monday said barge P305 with 261 personnel deployed for offshore drilling got de-anchored and began drifting because of the cyclonic storm Tauktae.

A barge is a long flat-bottomed boat either under its power or towed by another. An accommodation barge is of shallow draft (vessel whose keel is not far below the waterline) and is used to accommodate personnel on projects where shore accommodation is not available.

Offshore accommodation barges are fully autonomous and used mainly in the oil and gas industries.

ONGC had said the barges P305 and GAL Contractor were hired by them and personnel are of the contractor Afcons, owned by the Shapporji Pallonji Group of Cyrus Mistry.

The barges were anchored to safety ahead of the cyclone but got drifted and de-anchored due to the gusty winds that have made the Arabian Sea violent. “We have two barges deployed at the ONGC rigs. Barge No. P305 has personnel onboard and 137 people on the other. Unfortunately, both were de-anchored by the powerful cyclonic winds. However, with the help of the Navy, both the barges have been steadied and all the 410 personnel are reported safe as of 1530 hours,” an Afcons spokesman had said on Monday.

The Navy on 18 May morning deployed the P-8I long- range, multimission maritime patrol aircraft to join the search and rescue operations, the Navy official said.

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Mumbai

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May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

April Exports Yet Again Show Impressive Performance: FIEO New Delhi Port Wings News Network eacting to the trade data of April 2021, Mr Sharad Kumar Saraf, President, FIEO said that the impressive growth reiterates our assessment that order booking position of our exporters is extremely good and with gradual improvement of situation in the country, will push exports growth further.

He said that over 15% growth on the base of April 2019 is a better indicator and reflects a positive double digit trend.

Mr Saraf particularly emphasised that the growth in labour-intensive sectors like Gems & Jewellery, Handicrafts and Carpets augur well for the job scenario, which is most relevant in the current context. Mr Saraf added that such a growth has been mainly on account of 30 out of 30 major product groups of exports showing either a very impressive high positive growth starting with four digit and almost all ending with a very high double digit growth continuously defying all the odds for the second time during the year 2021 as still the global economy is passing through these challenging times.

FIEO President added that the exports of Gems & jewellery, Jute mfg. including floor covering, Carpet, Handicrafts excl. handmade

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carpet, Leather & leather products, RMG of all textiles, Cotton yarn/ fabs./made-ups, handloom products etc., Man-made yarn/fabs./madeups etc., Other cereals, Ceramic products & glassware, Electronic goods, Oil meals, Cashew, Mica, Coal & other ores, minerals including processed minerals, Engineering goods, Petroleum products, Tobacco, Cereal preparations & miscellaneous processed items, Iron ore, Oil seeds, Meat, dairy & poultry products, Tea, Marine products, Spices, Coffee, Organic & inorganic chemicals, Rice, Plastic & Linoleum, Fruits & vegetables and Drugs & pharmaceuticals were the sectors, which contributed towards showing such a spectacular performance by the exports sector during the month.

Mr Sharad Kumar Saraf also added that such a growth performance in exports during the first month of the new financial year augurs well for the sector as it will help in paving a new growth path for the sector as a whole during the fiscal. FIEO Chief also reiterated that the continuous support and help provided by the Government during these difficult times has been commendable. Mr Saraf further thanked the overall exporting community for continuously showing resilience and coming up with impressive performance even

during these torrid times. Further an increase in April 2021 imports by about 167.05 percent to USD 45.72 billion compared to the same period during the previous fiscal led to a trade deficit of USD 15.10 billion, which is an increase of over 123.17 percent during the month, which is definitely a concern and should be looked into.

FIEO President reiterated that though the government has announced a slew of measures on exports, imports, banking and taxation front, the need of the hour is to soon notify the RoDTEP rates to remove uncertainty from the minds of the trade and industry thereby helping in further forging new contracts with the foreigner buyers. Mr Saraf also reiterated that the government must address some of the key issues including announcement of the new FTP soon after September, 2021, release of the necessary funds for RoDTEP, MEIS and clarity on SEIS benefits, softening of freight charges, resolving risky exporters’ issues and continuance of seamless refund of IGST. Besides long pending demand for the creation of an Export Development Fund for marketing of Brand India products and various other infrastructure bottlenecks also needs to be looked into to bring back exports on the double-digit growth trajectory.

V.O.Chidambaranar Port Creates New Record by Handling Coal Ship With Highest Parcel Size Tuticorin Port Wings News Network .O. Chidambaranar Port on 14 May 2021 created a new record for handling a coal vessel with highest parcel size.

The Panama flagged vessel ‘MV BASTIONS’ with 245 metres of Length , 43 metres of Beam, 1,19,503 DWT and draft of 13.04 metres arrived from the Port of Muara Berau, Indonesia, with 92,935 Tonnes of Coal consigned for Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd., bettering the previous handling of highest parcel size for vessel ‘MV Star Sirius’, with 92,028 Tonnes of Coal handled at the Port on 11 April 2021.

The vessel berthed at Berth No.IX commenced its discharge using 3 Harbour Mobile cranes capable of discharging 50,000 Tonnes per day.

The handling of entire consignment

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completed by the dusk of 16 May 2021. The Vessel and Stevedoring Agent for the vessel is M/s. Majestic Shipping & Logistics Services, Tuticorin It is mentioned that the import of coal through VOC Port has also

shown upward trend during this financial year 2020-21. The Port has handled 11.81 Lakhs Tonnes of Coal, as against 11.05 Lakhs Tonnes handled during 2019-20, registering a growth of 6.88%.

Shri T.K. Ramachandran, IAS,

Chairman, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust, said: “Despite subdued global trade, contraction in domestic Industrial activity due to lockdown, it is important that Ports operate as efficiently as possible to cleanse off the negative economic impact of the Pandemic. Cargo handling through VOC Port has started to pick up pace and the Port has seen traffic growth of 42% in April 2021, when compared to the cargo traffic handled in April 2020. On the occasion of achievement of this significant milestone, I would like to recognize the hard work and commitment of Ship Agents, Stevedores, Harbour Mobile Crane Operator, Officers and Staff of V.O. Chidambaranar Port.”

Tirupur Exporters Hail TN CM Stalin for Announcement of Concessions To MSMEs Chennai

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Port Wings News Network irupur Exporters Association (TEA) on 12 May 2021 thanked the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin for the announcement of concessions to the MSMEs at this hour of crisis.

In a statement to media, Shri.

Raja. M. Shanmugham, President, TEA, said these concessions will go a long way for the Tirupur knitwear exports sector consisting 95% units in MSMEs. He said the extension of payment of MOD registration including

legal licenses required for MSME industries till December 2021.

Disbursement of Capital Subsidy in one installment, Exemption for the norm that sales proceeds should be increased by 25 percent for expanding MSME sector will be extended till December 31, 2021 are real beneficial to Tirupur units at a time when they are struggling to sustain due to various adverse factors internally and externally. Added to this, he further said the impact on Corona has also largely affected the financial performance of the units.

Shri. Raja. M. Shanmugham said that the Central Government Scheme,

Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS) is providing 15% Capital Subsidy to the Garment Sector and when other states are permitting to avail both Central Government ATUFS subsidy and the State Government Capital Subsidy, whereas in our State the investors are permitted to avail either Central or State subsidy only. In this connection, Shri. Raja. M. Shanmugham has requested the Hon’ble Chief Minister to permit to avail both Central (ATUFS) and State subsidies also, as this measure will attract more entrepreneurs and boost the growth of industries in Tamil Nadu.

Paradip Port Trust Awards Maintenance Dredging Contract to Dredging Corporation of India Paradip

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Port Wings News Network redging Corporation of India (DCI) has been awarded the Maintenance Dredging Contract at Paradip Port Trust for the period May 2021 to Mid March 2022. The total quantity to be dredged 7 Million M3 with an estimated cost of Rs 98.00 CR. Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) has commenced the Maintenance Dredging at Approach Channel, Entrance Channel, Turning Circle, Docks, Mahanadi & Sand Trap of Paradip Port Trust, Paradip, Odisha for the year 2021-22.

PPT RECEIVES 59 MEDICAL OXYGEN CYLINDERS FROM SINGAPORE Paradip Port Trust handled 24 medical oxygen cylinders (40-litre capacity each), along with 5 medical oxygen cylinder and oxygen regulator-humidifiers, brought in

by MV Anna Maria from Singapore this evening for distribution among various state-run hospitals in Jagatsinghpur district. Dr. Kanhu Charan Dhir, ADM, Paradip has received the oxygen cylinders on behalf of Government of Odisha.

Additionally, Paradip International Cargo Terminal Private Limited (PICTPL) handled 30 medical oxygen cylinders (10-litre capacity each), sent by the shipping line Louis Dreyfus Company Freight Asia from Singapore in MV Glory Amsterdam for PPT Hospital. In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Steel Authority of India along with Paradip Customs have provided necessary assistance in this noble endeavour. This is the first time medical oxygen is being handled at PPT.

India’s Trade Performance Continues to be Impressive in April-2021 New Delhi Port Wings News Network ndia’s export performance continues to be impressive in April 2021 with merchandise exports accelerating by an impressive 195.72 per cent over April 2020 levels and 17.62 per cent over the April 2019 levels.

Merchandise export, excluding POL and Gems &Jewellery, have increased by 160.24% in April 2021 over the same period of 2020-21 and by 20.47% over same period of 2019-20.

The Economic recovery is also visible in the rising import growth of 167.05 per cent and 7.87 per cent during April 2021 over same period of 2020-21 and 2019-20 respectively.

Service exports estimated for April 2021 are USD 21.17 Billion, registering a positive growth of 28.68 percent vis-à-vis April 2020.

The estimated value of services import for April 2021* is USD 13.00 Billion, registering a positive growth of 39.75 percent vis-à-vis April 2020. The estimated value of Net of services export for April 2021* is USD 8.17 Billion registering a positive growth of 14.28 percent vis-à-vis April 2020 COMMODITY WISE GROWTH TRENDS: The commodities/commodity groups which have recorded positive growth during April 2021 vis-à-vis April 2020 are Gems &jewellery (9271.21%), Jute mfg. including floor covering (1684.62%), Carpet (1352.68%), Handicrafts excl. handmade carpet (1275.46%), Leather& leather products (1201.44%), RMG of all textiles (927.08%), Cotton yarn/ fabs./made-ups, handloom products etc. (618.26%), Man-made yarn/ fabs./made-ups etc. (587.01%), Other cereals (451.39%), Ceramic

I

products & glassware (444.45%), Electronic goods (372.62%), Oil meals (279.49%), Cashew (260.48%), Mica, Coal & other ores, minerals including processed minerals (241.21%), Engineering goods (238.27%), Petroleum products (191.53%), Tobacco (187.4%), Cereal preparations & miscellaneous processed items (174.61%), Iron ore (172.16%), Oil seeds (169.04%), Meat, dairy & poultry products (148.81%), Tea (146.31%), Marine products (107.94%), Spices (97.56%), Coffee (75.02%), Organic & inorganic chemicals (68.54%), Rice (61.64%), Plastic & Linoleum (51.89%), Fruits & vegetables (25.4%) and Drugs & pharmaceuticals (23.43%).

Iron Ore and Drugs & Pharmaceuticals exports have been consistently growing throughout 2020-2021 and April 2021. Rice export has been consistently growing during 2020-2021 and April 2021 except for the month of April 2020. Cereal preparations & miscellaneous processed items, Other Cereals and Oil Meals exports have been consistently growing since June 2020. Jute Mfg. including Floor Covering and Carpet exports have been consistently growing since July 2020. Handicrafts, excl. handmade carpet, Cotton Yarn/Fabs./made-ups, Handloom Products etc., Ceramic products & glassware, spices and ‘others’ categories exports are growing consistently since September 2020.

Mica, Coal & Other Ores, Minerals including processed minerals export is consistently growing since October 2020.

Sectors such as Leather & leather products, Man-made Yarn/Fabs./ made-ups etc., and Marine products which had been exhibiting negative growth during the pandemic (20202021) have picked up from March 2021 onwards.

May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

V.O.Chidambaranar Port Handles 31.79 Million Tonnes of Cargo, 7.62 Lakh Containers During Financial Year 2020-21 Tuticorin Port Wings News Network espite COVID-19 pandemic induced slump in global trade, V.O. Chidambaranar Port, one of the major ports under the administrative control of Union Government of India and located in Tamil Nadu, has handled 31.79 million tonnes of cargo – 22.53 million tonnes of imports, 9.18 tonnes of exports and 0.08 tonnes of transshipment – during 2020-21 fiscal year. According to the port officials, this is 11.89% lesser than the previous fiscal, mainly due to the pandemic.

In terms of containers, the port has handled 7.62 lakh twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers during this fiscal, again registering a decrease of 5.22% over the previous year’s container traffic of 8.04 TEUs. TRAFFIC PERFORMANCE During the financial year 20202021, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust handled Cargo traffic of 31.79 Million Tonnes, against the previous year’s achievement of 36.08 Million Tonnes, registering a decrease of 11.89%. Imports have accounted for 22.53 Million Tonnes (70.86 %) and Exports accounted for 9.18 Million Tonnes (28.90%) and Transhipment accounted for 0.08 Million Tonnes (0.24 %).

In terms of containers, the Port has handled 7.62 Lakh, Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of Containers in the year 2020-21, registering a decrease 5.22% over previous year’s container traffic of 8.04 Lakh TEUs. Inspite of COVID-19 pandemic sending shockwaves through the supply chains, shipping networks and Ports, leading to plummeting Cargo volumes during the last financial year, the Port’s operational efficiency was not compromised and has created a number of notable records like; I. Handling 106.54 Lakh tonnes of Coastal cargoes, surpassing the previous record traffic of 102.69 lakh tonnes.

II. M/s. PSA SICAL Container Terminal, handled 4,413 TEUs of containers, the highest volume from a single vessel, bettering the previous record of 3,979 TEUs of containers.

III. Unloading 56,687 Tonnes of Coal in 24 hours at Berth No.9, surpassing the earlier record of 55,785 tonnes.

IV. Handling 5,628 TEUs of Container in a single day, surpassing the previous record of 4,524 TEUs. V. Handling 1,89,395 Tonnes of Cargo in a single day, surpassing the earlier record of 1,80,597 Tonnes.

VI. Handling longest wind blades of length 74.90 metres surpassing the previous longest wind blade of 72.40 metres.

VII. Handling 81,013 TEUs of Containers which is the highest ever number of TEUs handled by the Container Terminal in a single month, surpassing the previous highest performance of 80,474 TEUs of containers.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE V O Chidambaranar Port’s

D

Operating Income amounted to Rs. 549.51 Crores during 2020-21, as against Rs. 582.90 Crores during the previous year, and the Operating Surplus Rs. 322.63 Crores, as against Rs. 328.71 Crores in 201920. The Net surplus after Tax was Rs. 113.72 Crores as against Rs. 135.23 Crores.

PROJECTS The Port has initiated Proposals for Dredging of North Cargo BerthIII to a draft of 14.20 metres at an estimated cost of Rs.64.15 crores.

In order to facilitate ships of Beam 49 metres and LOA of 366 (Existing Beam 48 metres , LOA 310 metres) to call VOC Port, widening of the Port’s entrance channel from 152.40 Metres to 230 Metres at a cost of Rs. 15.24 Crores has also been taken up by the Port.

To cater the growing Container

Traffic forecast, Port is in the process of developing its Third Container Terminal under Public Private Partnership.

To facilitate Ease of Doing Business, installation of State of Art Drive Through Container Scanner, having the capacity to scan 100 Trucks per hour, at a cost of Rs.47 crores is nearing its completion.

To ensure the safe handling of LPG & POL products as per OSID Guidelines, Port is revamping the Fixed Fire Fighting System at an estimated Cost of Rs 17.5 Crores.

As a trendsetter among Major Ports of the Country, the Port is all set to be become the ‘First Green Port of India’, by adopting an integrated Green Energy Port Model. The Port has taken up the installation of grid connected 5 MW ground-based Solar power plant at a cost of Rs.19.81 Crores.

VOC Port has been a frontrunner in implementing various Green Port initiatives and has already installed 500 KW rooftop solar power plant.

Installation of another 140 KW roof top solar project is in progress.

The Port is also in the process of installing onshore and offshore wind turbines to harness wind potential at its premises.

The Port has also identified 2000 acres of land for setting up of Port-based industries (Tuticorin - SPEEDZ). In Phase-I, tenders were invited for allotment of 334.30 acres and the Port has received good response and Port land will be allotted to the successful bidders shortly for starting Port based Industries.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS As a part of world’s largest evacuation mission by Indian Navy to repatriate the stranded Indian Nationals abroad, ‘Samudra Setu’ – (meaning ‘Sea Bridge’) under the ‘Vande Bharat’ Mission, was carried out through V.O. Chidambaranar Port on four occasions.

Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Mrs Aishath Nahula, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Maldives, Republic of Maldives, jointly launched the Cargo ferry service from India (Tuticorin and Cochin) to Maldives (Kulhudhuffushi and Male) through Video Conference on 21 September 2020.

On 27 October 2020, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the ‘Direct Port Entry Facility’ at V.O. Chidambaranar Port. The Direct Port Entry facility operated by Central Warehousing Corporation at Port’s Truck Parking Terminal would enable direct movement of containers from factories, without intermediate handling at any CFS, thus facilitating the shippers to Gate-in their factory stuffed exports directly to the Container Terminal on 24x7 basis.

On 25 February 2021, Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, dedicated the ‘8-laning of Korampallam Bridge and Rail Over Bridge’ to the Nation and laid the foundation stone for ‘5 MW Ground-Based Solar Power Plant’, at VOC Port, Tuticorin, through Video Conferencing from Coimbatore.

In addition to the above, VOC Port facilitated sign-on/off of 2548 seafarers up to 31.03.2021 during pandemic, as per SOPs/guidelines issued by Director General Shipping.

PREVENTIVE MEASURE TAKEN TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF COVID INFECTION (i) Vaccination drive is being carried out to vaccinate the employees of the Port, their family members and retired employees with the co-ordination of District Administration. (ii) Regular screening of employees and residents of Port Quarters are being done to identify the COVID victims. (iii) Periodical sanitization of Port infrastructure is being carried out to as per the sanitization schedule. (iv) The Port Provides Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Kits for use of employees of the Port. (v) The Port imparts awareness to prevent COVID-19 through distribution of Hand bills, distribution of COVID -19 Manual, fixing of visuals at vulnerable points and through electronic means. (vi) Port has established quarantine facility at various Port buildings at a cost of Rs.20 lakhs. (vii) As a part of CSR activity, Port has established additional 54 bedded COVID-19 ward at a cost of Rs.25 lakhs.

Commenting on the performance, Shri T.K. Ramachandran, IAS, Chairman, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust, said “Given the challenging environment due to the rippling economic effects caused

by COVID, I take this opportunity to thank all the employees, Unions, Terminal operators, Port users and stakeholders for their unstinted service & support rendered to the Maritime Trade.”

5

Chennai Airport Facilitates Essential Medical Supplies Amid Tough Times Chennai

I

Port Wings News Network ndia’s various airports and their corona warriors are working day and night to ensure the movement and delivery of essential medical supplies across the country.

As a part of these efforts, Chennai airport is playing a significant role for the whole southern Indian landscape ensuring that the essential medical supplies are being transported and delivered while our country is fighting the Covid -19 pandemic.

From 12th January 2021 to till 15thMay 2021, Chennai airport has handled 44.26 MT of inbound vaccine and related

cargo domestically. The bulk of the vaccine tonnage received were Covishield vaccine shipments through Pune/Mumbai Airports and Covaxin vaccine shipment through Hyderabad Airport.

An exclusive vaccine corridor was established by AAICLAS (AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited) and AAI team for smooth delivery of vaccines to the consignee on arrival. The vaccines then get further connected to nearby states and districts. From 1st May to 15th May, 2021, Chennai Airport has received Oxygen concentrator shipments to the tune of 9.53 MT. On the international front,

Chennai Airport has received 402.39 MT of inbound medical essentials till 15th May 2021. Most of the consignment can be attributed to oxygen concentrators and medical equipment received from abroad viz; Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Singapore, Doha, Kunming, Istanbul, Bangkok,

Kuala Lumpur and France.

The airport is extending all possible support to Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft movements carrying medical oxygen cylinders and essentials for speedy distribution across the country. Since 01st May 2021 IAF brought 900 oxygen cylinders from the UK and 256 oxygen cylinders from Singapore.

Oxygen concentrators are also brought in from within the country.

Last week also saw an IAF aircraft airlifting liquid oxygen tanker from Chennai Airport. All these movements adhered to the Covid protocols in place.

Chennai Airport has organised Covid vaccination camp for employees of AAI and other stakeholders and approximately 2000 frontline workers have been vaccinated. In March 2020, when the first nationwide lockdown was declared due to the Covid- 19 first wave, the cargo movement at Chennai Airport continued undeterred catering to the entire region. A year later, when our country is passing through another precarious phase, the second wave, Chennai Airport is stepping up to support India’s fight against COVID 19.

Government Announces Enhancement of Facilities Under Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, 2017 New Delhi Port Wings News Network nion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had in her Budget speech this year announced that the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, 2017 (IGCR, 2017) would be amended to boost trade facilitation. Accordingly, the Central Board of Customs and Indirect Taxes (CBIC) had immediately enhanced the scope of these rules on 2nd February 2021.

The CBIC has now issued a Circular No.10/2021-Customs, dated 17th May 2021 in order to assist the trade in understanding the improvements in the IGCR, 2017 so that they may make full use of the new facilities.

The IGCR, 2017 lay down the procedures and manner in which an importer can avail the benefit of a concessional Customs duty on import of goods required for domestic production of goods or providing services. One major change that accommodates the needs of trade and industry is that the imported goods have been permitted to be sent out for ‘job

U

work’. The absence of this facility had earlier constrained the industry especially those in the MSME sector which did not have the complete manufacturing capability in-house.

Importantly, even importers who do not have any manufacturing facility can now avail the IGCR, 2017 to import goods at concessional Customs duty and get the final goods manufactured entirely on job work basis. However, some sectors such as gold, jewellery, precious stones and metals have been excluded.

Another major incentive now provided is to allow those who import capital goods at a concessional Customs duty to clear them in the domestic market on payment of duty and interest, at a depreciated value. This was not allowed earlier and manufacturers were stuck with the imported capital goods after having used them as they could not be easily re-exported.

Further, the procedure for availing the concessional Customs duty under these rules have been reviewed and rationalized. The required intimations and records can be sent by email to the jurisdictional Customs officer thereby obviating any physical interface.

6

Vessel Position at Terminals - (19.05.2021 To 26.05.2021)

May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

7

CCTL - Chennai ETA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

19/05

20/05

CI5

17/05

18/05

20/05 19/05

Voy

Agent/Line

CITPL - Chennai

Calling Ports

ETA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

Voy

Agent/Line

Calling Ports

INTERASIA HERITAGE

TAO/PUS/SHA/SKU/SIN/PKW/ PKG/MAA/KAT/PKG/SIN/PGU/ SKU/KHH/TAO

17/05

18/05

TCIX

TCI PRABHU

8007

TCI

Port Klang-Singapore-Laem Chabang

IEX

YM FOUNTAIN

TUT/LEH/JED/HAM/ANR/CMB/ RTM/PIR/COK/DAM/VTZ/LGP/KRI

17/05

18/05

TCXNEW

XPRESS JERSEY

20017

SCM

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore,Shangha

21/05

ECH

SSL KOCHI

KAT/HAL/CGP/PRT/KAT/KRI

17/05

18/05

ADHOC

CMA CGM BERLIOZ

0FD2YE1MA

CMA

20/05

ADHOC

VENUS

CMB

Nhava Shiva,Mundra, Khor Al Fakkan, Port Klang,Singapore, Shanghai,

21/05

22/05

TCXNEW

MOL GATEWAY

108E

ONE

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore,Shangha

21/05

22/05

CI3

TONGVA

E010

WAN

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore,Shangha

21/05

22/05

MD1

CAPE MAYOR

28720E

WAN

Krishnapatnam, West Port Klang , Singapore, Cailan- Busan, Ulsan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian

DAKSHINBHARATH GATEWAY TERMINAL / Tuticorin 19/05

20/05

CTS

MV.KAPTIAN MASLOV

129S

FAR SHIPPING

COLOMBO, TUTICORIN, COLOMBO

20/05

21/05

TUX

MV.OEL SHRAVAN

21132

TWF

COLOMBO, TUTICORIN, COLOMBO

21/05

22/05

BOX

MV.XPRESS COTOPAXI 21039S

BTL

COLOMBO, TUTICORIN, COLOMBO

22/05

23/05

CTS

MV.KAPTIAN MASLOV

130S

FAR SHIPPING

COLOMBO, TUTICORIN, COLOMBO

23/05

24/05

TUX

MV.OEL SHRAVAN

21133

TWF

COLOMBO, TUTICORIN, COLOMBO

Kakinada Container Terminal ETA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

Voy

Agent/Line

20/05

21/05

KAK>COK

SSL KRISHNA

IMPERIAL

25/05

26/05

KAK>CMB

MSC KYMEA

SAMSARA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

17/05

18/05

CSC

GUENTHER SCHULTE

SMM

17/05

18/05

AS1

CMA CGM FIDELIO

CCA

18/05

19/05

ME2

Voy

ORCA I

Agent/Line

MSK

18/05

19/05

BMM

GEMINI

EMS

21/05

22/05

MIDAS

EM ASTORIA

CCA

21/05

22/05

IPAK

MSC ESTHI

MSC

MWE

MAERSK BROOKLYN

MSK MSK

22/05

23/05

23/05

24/05

MECL

MAERSK COLUMBUS

25/05

26/05

CSC

RITA

SMM

25/05

26/05

MESAWA

OEL JUMEIRAH

MSK

26/05

27/05

BLUENILE

SINO BRIDGE

PRH

26/05

27/05

MIDAS

MERKUR ARCHIPELAGO

MSK

Calling Ports

Pipavav,Hazira,JNPT,Jebel Ali,Salalah,Port Said,Mersin,Ambarli Port,Izmlt Korfezi,Novorosslysk

Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Port Qasim, Singapore

Colombo,Damietta Piraes Rotterdam, London

Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Valencia, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, Freeport

Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Port Qasim, Singapore

APM Terminal - Mumbai ETA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

19/05

20/05

NMG

CAPE MORETON

25/05

26/05

NMG

"MONTPELLIER

21/05

22/05

ASX

GFS GISELLE

Voy

"

Agent/Line

Calling Ports

SEC

Pipavav,Port Klang,Singapore, Shangai, Ningbo, Xiamen

SEC

Pipavav,Port Klang,Singapore, Shangai, Ningbo, Xiamen

ASX

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

22/05

23/05

FM3

SC MONTREUX

MAE

Pipavav,Hazira,JNPT,Jebel Ali,Salalah,Port Said,Mersin,Ambarli Port,Izmlt Korfezi,Novorosslysk

19/05

20/05

CIX

ITAL LUNARE

EGI

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

23/05

24/05

TIP

MOL GRANDEUR

ONE

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

18/05

19/05

PS3

YM UBIQUITY

YML

Port Qasim, Nhava Sheva, Pipavav, Colombo, T.Pelepas,Tanjung, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ningbo, Pusan, Kwangyang, Qingdao, Dalian, Xingang

20/05

21/05

CIX3

CHARLESTON

RCL

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

26/05

27/05

CWI

AKINADA BRIDGE

GLD

Pipavav,Port Klang,Singapore, Shangai, Ningbo, Xiamen

26/05

27/05

CIX3

VANCOUVER

OCL

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

24/05

25/05

CIX3

OOCL SAN FRANCISCO

OCL

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

24/05

25/05

FM3

MP THE MCGINEST

MAE

Pipavav,Hazira,JNPT,Jebel Ali,Salalah,Port Said,Mersin,Ambarli Port,Izmlt Korfezi,Novorosslysk

23/05

24/05

TIP

XPRESS BARDSEY

SEC

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

As the data is received by us, sometimes even at the eleventh hour by telephonic messages from the concerned Steamer Agents, there is every likelihood of last minute changes in the data published for which and also for the printing errors occuring the Management of Port Wings is not responsible or liable.

Halida,Colombo

Kattupalli

NSICT - Mumbai ETA

Calling Ports

ETA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

Voy

Agent/Line

Calling Ports

17/05

18/05

CIX

HYUNDAI PARAMOUNT

061W

HMM

Jebel Ali, Mundra,Hazira,Nhava Sheva

19/05

20/05

CCG

SM MANALI

2

SIM

Cochin , Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas, Dammam

19/05

20/05

TCX

VERMONT TRADER

021W

RCF

Chennai WestPort Klang –North Port Klang–Singapore –Laem Chabang

19/05

20/05

BULK

MT TAIHAI3

20/05

21/05

C15

INTERASIA HERITAGE

028W

IAS

21/05

22/05

ECS

SSL SABARIMALA

86

HMM

Tuticorin,cochin,Pipava, Kandla,Jebel ali

21/05

22/05

ECS

SSL CHENNA

180N

HMM

Tuticorin,cochin,Pipava, Kandla,Jebel ali

21/05

22/05

ACS

HYUNDAI ULSAN

9

HMM

Nhava Shiva,Mundra, Khor Al Fakkan, Port Klang,Singapore, Shanghai,

22/05

23/05

TCX

MOL GATEWA

108W

ONE

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore,Shangha

26/05

27/05

TCX

X PRESS JERSEY

2017W

SCA

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore,Shangha

MLK

VCTPL, Vizag ETA

ETD

Service

Vessel Name

Voy

Agent/Line

Calling Ports

19/05

20/05

MDM

TRF KAYA

1719E

BTL

Colombo

21/05

22/05

CHX

PANTHER

119W

MSK

Ennore, Krishnapatnam, Visakhapatnam, Tanjung Pelepas, Xingang, Qingdao

21/05

22/05

FME

VERMONT TRADER

021E

RCL

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore, Shanghai

22/05

23/05

FSLVCH

FSL SINGAPORE

023S

FOC

Colombo

23/05

24/05

CCG

MOGRAL

21

SIM

Cochin, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas, Dammam

23/05

24/05

MDM

CAPE MAYOR

27720E

WHL

Colombo

24/05

24/05

CVK

MSC ISHYKA

SV121R

MSC

24/05

24/05

FME

KMTC MUMBAI

2103E

KMT

Port Kelang(North port) – Singapore, Shanghai

27/05

28/05

CHX

ALEXANDER BAY

120W

MSK

Ennore,Krishnapatnam, Vizag ,Tanjung Pelepas, Xingang, Qingdao

24/05

25/05

ECX

SSL KUTCH

213S

SSL

Haldia, Paradip

Piyush Goyal Holds Meeting With Export Promotion Councils To Discuss Various Issues Concerning the International Trade New Delhi Port Wings News Network nion Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, and Senior Officers of the Department of Commerce and Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) held a meeting with the Export Promotion Councils to discuss various issues concerning the international trade on 11 May 2021.

Shri Goyal complimented the Exporters for their encouraging performance, even during such trying times. He noted that India’s merchandise exports in April 2021 was USD 30.21 billion, an increase of 197.03% over USD 10.17 billion in April 2020 and an increase of 16.03% over USD 26.04 billion in April 2019.

He said that the value of Export in the first week of May 2021 is also up by almost 9% over the same period of 2019-20 (6.48 billion USD). He said that Export excluding POL, is even better, and has increased in this period

U

by 15% over same period of 2019-20. He said that performance of exports in April’21 and 2020-21 gives a hope that an ambitious target of $400 billion merchandise exports can be achieved this year. There is a large potential for enhancing exports in several sectors like Pharma, Engineering, Auto-component, Fisheries and Agro-products, he added.

Regarding the issues raised by the participants, Shri Goyal said that they should approach the Covid helpdesk of the Department for resolving the problems emanating due to Covid related measures. He said that the Department of Commerce has taken up several issues of exporters with the Ministry of Finance for their early resolution, like RoDTEP, MEIS, Inverted duty structure etc. He called upon the exporters to take advantage of the Production-Linked Incentive schemes for various sectors which have been announced.

May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

Boskalis First Quarter in Line With Expectations New Delhi Port Wings News Network he market picture and developments in the first quarter at Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) are in line with expectations as outlined at the announcement of the 2020 annual results.

When the 2020 annual results were announced, the expectation was that the first half of 2021 would be reasonably stable as a result of the COVID-19 related restrictions with a gradual improvement in the second half of the year. The first quarter developments were in line with this expectation.

Compared to the same period last year, revenue was almost stable with a higher result. The utilization of the large vessels (hopper fleet at Dredging and heavy marine transport vessels at Offshore Energy) was almost stable compared to the 2020 full year level. The order book position at the end of the quarter increased by approximately EUR 270 million compared to the record level at the end of 2020 to EUR 5.6 billion. The net cash position decreased in line with expectations but the financial position is still very solid.

Dredging & Inland Infra Revenue at the Dredging & Inland Infra division decreased compared to the first quarter last year, mainly due to the timing of certain projects in the Netherlands and COVID-19 related operational disruptions.

Noteworthy projects in progress included LNG Canada, Pulau Tekong Polder and Tuas Terminal 2 (both in Singapore), Fehmarnbelt tunnel (between Denmark and Germany), Romanian Beaches and the sizable Markermeerdijken project from the Dutch national Flood Protection Program, as well as several other medium-sized projects in the Netherlands.

The utilization of the hopper fleet was at a similar level to the

T

2020 full year rate and therefore good given the circumstances. The two large cutter suction dredgers were idle in the first quarter in line with expectations with anticipated deployment as from the summer in the Philippines and Singapore respectively.

In the first quarter, the investment decision was taken to lengthen the trailing suction hopper dredger Oranje. This investment is part of the corporate business plan presented last year. For the extension, the Orange will be taken out of service for four months in the second half of 2021, after which the vessel will return to service in the first quarter of 2022 with approximately 33% percent more loading capacity with a hopper capacity of approximately 21,000 cubic meters.

The Dredging & Inland Infra order book increased slightly compared to the end of 2020. The largest project addition related to the Oosterweel link in Belgium, in addition to a variety of port and energy projects (both LNG and offshore wind).

After the end of the quarter, the provisional award was received for the extensive Meanderende Maas dike reinforcement project, which is also part of the aforementioned Dutch Flood Protection Program.

Offshore Energy The first quarter at Offshore Energy proceeded in line with expectations with a slightly higher revenue level compared to the first quarter 2020.

The contracting part of the division consists of Seabed Intervention, Heavy Lifting (including offshore wind foundations) and Subsea Cables.

At Seabed Intervention, the main revenue contribution came from a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit project in El Salvador as well as the Yunlin offshore wind project in Taiwan. Subsea Cables had a relatively busy quarter with projects including Ostwind 2 and Morray East in progress. At Heavy Lifting,

engineering preparations are in full swing for the Changfang & Xidao project that will enter its execution phase in Taiwan later this year.

Towage & Salvage At Salvage the start of 2021 was marked by several challenging projects, including the salvage of the VLCC New Diamond, the refloating of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal and the salvage of the freighter Eemslift Hendrika. Salvage revenue was at a similar level compared to the first quarter of 2020. The contribution of the Towage joint ventures was higher than last year due to a combination of factors.

FINANCIAL POSITION The exceptionally high net cash position of EUR 439 million at yearend 2020 decreased by almost EUR 165 million to EUR 275 million, largely due to capital expenditures, the share buyback program and a normalization of the working capital level. With the available cash and bank facilities Boskalis has a directly available financial headroom of more than EUR 1 billion. The company thereby comfortably meets its financial covenants.

OUTLOOK Boskalis is in good shape with its historically high order book and strong financial position. As indicated at the publication of the 2020 annual results in early March, 2021 will be largely determined by the further course of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the start-up of several large international projects in the second half of this year. Given these uncertainties and the projectbased nature of a significant part of our activities, it is difficult to make quantitative statements about the 2021 annual result. However, with the developments in the first quarter and the well-filled order book, there is a solid basis to match the EBITDA of 2020 this year. Capital Expenditure in 2021 is expected to amount to approximately EUR 350 million including dry dockings, but excluding any acquisitions.

USD 400 Billion Milestone Within the Realm of Reach: Sharad Kumar Saraf, President, FIEO New Delhi Port Wings News Network esponding to the new milestone of USD 400 Billion for exports during the current fiscal year, Mr Sharad Kumar Saraf, President, FIEO said that it reflects the optimism and confidence not only of the Government but equally of the trade and industry. He complimented Mr Piyush Goyal, Union Commerce & Industry Minister for constantly engaging with exporters and resolving their issues.

While facing numerous challenges in manufacturing and logistics, the recent export growth has been more than satisfying and shows that the industry is better equipped to handle the second wave with minimum of disruptions.

Detailing the basis for achieving such milestones in exports, Mr Saraf said that the order booking position of exporters is extremely encouraging. Moreover, increase in the prices of many inputs have resulted in re-negotiation of orders

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with some price escalation, which may support Mr Sharad Kumar Saraf also FIEO President exports in value terms by 10-15%, India also seems to be reaching its peak and increasing vaccination with the support of industry is expected to bring the economy back on track while simultaneously admitting that States have been quite supportive of manufacturing and exports during the second wave. Free interstate movement of goods have ensured almost seamless exports though occasional hiccups at local level were witnessed by some exporters.

President FIEO said that to achieve such a target, a concerted strategy would be required, treating exports a national priority by all wings and Ministries of the Government. Liquidity should be addressed by encouraging banks to

lend to the export sector and more importantly instantly releasing all export benefits including Drawback, MEIS, GST and RoDTEP to name a few. This will help in making exports profitable else with delay in refund, exporters profitability is wiped out with increasing interest burden. He also expressed his concern over the rising prices of domestic inputs and suggested reduction in import tariff to soften prices. He urged the shipping companies to rationally increase freight as all stakeholders are facing the same problem and with recovery in sight, all will sail together.

Mr Saraf said that the PLI scheme will be a game changer not only for augmenting exports but also for reducing imports as investment is being sought in sectors, which are key drivers of global trade. Electronics, Machineries, Automobiles and Food processing are showing extremely encouraging trends in exports which will accelerate further with expansion of production base with the PLI Scheme.

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NEWS - BITS First Cargo From Egypt To Reach Lithuanian LNG Terminal

The Klaipėda (Lithuania) liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, operated by KN (AB Klaipėdos Nafta) expects to receive LNG cargo from Egypt, the ‘Idku’ natural gas liquefaction plant to reach Klaipėda Seaport for the first time. KN says the LNG carrier ‘LNG Fukurokuju’ is expected to deliver approx. 138,000 cubic metres of LNG. After the planned maintenance and repair works, the LNG terminal, which has successfully resumed operations on May 1st, expects to receive cargo from Egypt on May 7th. The LNG carrier ‘LNG Fukurokuju’, built in 2016 and currently sailing under the flag of Bahamas, will visit the Klaipėda Seaport for the first time and also deliver the first ever cargo from Egypt to Lithuania.

‘As the prices of LNG are still high in Asia, a large part of cargo from Europe is diverted exactly there by taking advantage of the spot market opportunities, and a certain new-found niche is filled by Egypt, which has been less visible on the map of European LNG suppliers so far. What is more, Egypt announced in January that it would significantly increase exports to Europe to meet the growing demand for LNG here. Taking into account both the requirements of Klaipėda LNG terminal equipment and the requirements of the Lithuanian natural gas market, the natural gas liquefied in Egypt are suitable for our natural gas system in terms of its calorific and energy value’, says Mindaugas Navikas, Chief Sales Officer at KN.

Small Vessel Service Segment Successfully Developed In The Port Of Riga Every year larger vessels with higher carrying capacity, draft and length are involved in sea cargo transportation, nevertheless the Riga port cargo terminals, specializing in servicing small vessels, boast successful development, Freeport of Riga says in a press release.

The company “Extron Baltic”, one of the 2020 growth record holders of the Port of Riga, is the largest metal transshipment company, handling 98% of all metal general cargo in the port. The terminal also handles cargo of timber and cereals (beans, peas, linseed).

“From the point of view of operational structure, our strength is efficient servicing of several smaller vessels instead of one large ship. In addition, a large part of the cargo that is handled by our company is delivered to the Baltic Sea region, where there is no need for larger vessels,” explained Valdis Andersons, Chairman of the “Extron Baltic” Board.

According to the calculations of the think tank CERTUS, each ton of cargo handled at the Freeport of Riga contributes to Latvia’s GDP in the amount of 10.7 EUR. This means that last year, by handling 23.7 million tons of cargo, the Freeport of Riga cluster increased Latvia’s GDP by 250 million EUR. The companies of the port cluster pay more than 30 million EUR in taxes every year.

Wilhelmsen Receives The Maritime Safety Award For Smart Ropes System

Wilhelmsen Marine Products has received the Maritime Safety Award from the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) and Lloyd’s Register for their Smart Ropes system.

The Maritime Safety Award is presented by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), in association with Lloyd’s Register, to an individual, company or organisation which has made a significant technological contribution to improving maritime safety, or the protection of the maritime environment.

Wilhelmsen’s winning entry is their safer mooring solutions consisting of Smart Ropes and Line Management Plan (LMP).

Wilhelmsen consolidated approach towards safer mooring consists of Snap Back Arrestor (SBA), Smart Ropes, and Line Management Plan (LMP). This ‘Safe by Design’ mooring solution that combines technology with ropes safety has been gaining recognition in the maritime industry

CUSTOMS EXCHANGE RATES Notification No.46/2021 (N.T.) ALL RATES PER UNIT

FOREIGN CURRENCY Australian Dollar Bahraini Dinar Canadian Dollar Chinese Yuan Danish Kroner EURO Hong Kong Dollar Kuwaiti Dinar New Zealand Dollar Norwegian Kroner Pound Sterling Qatari Riyal Saudi Arabian Riyal Singapore Dollar South African Rand Swedish Kroner Swiss Franc Turkish Lira UAE Dirham US Dollar Japanese Yen (100) Korean Won (100)

with effect from 7th Apr. 2021

RATE (INR) Import Export 58.35 202.35 61.30 11.60 12.15 90.25 9.70 253.30 54.55 9.00 104.45 20.95 20.35 56.20 5.30 8.85 82.45 9.15 20.75 74.75 68.85 6.80

55.95 189.95 59.10 11.25 11.70 87.10 9.35 237.30 52.20 8.70 100.95 19.65 19.10 54.35 4.95 8.55 79.20 8.60 19.50 73.05 66.30 6.35

We are not responsible for any mistake. ALL RATES ARE PROVISIONAL. The rates in these column are only meant for guidance.

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RNI No. TNENG/2014/59741 Postal Registration No. TN/CNIGPO/067/2021-2023 Posted at Pathrika Channel, Egmore, RMS, Chennai-8.

Date of Publication - Wednesday, Posted on Wednesday (19.05.2021)

Ocean Network Express Expands Refrigerated Container Fleet

APM Terminals Agrees Divestment of APM Terminals Rotterdam to Hutchinson Ports Chennai

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Port Wings News Network PM Terminals (APMT) and Hutchison Ports are pleased to announce that Hutchison Ports Netherlands B.V., a subsidiary of Hutchison Ports, has signed an agreement to acquire the Rotterdam container terminal APM Terminals Rotterdam (APMTR) from APMT.

APMTR is located adjacent to Hutchison Ports’ existing ECT Delta terminal in the Maasvlakte area of Europe’s largest port. It has 1,600 metres of deep-water quay serviced by 13 ship-to-shore gantry cranes.

Commenting on the divestment, Rolf Nielsen, Head of Hub Terminals APMT said, “We are pleased to announce our divestment of APMTR to Hutchison Ports.

Over the past eighteen months,

the various parties have worked intensively and constructively together with all relevant parties, including APMTR’s works council and trade unions, to complete the transaction. The sale gives APMTR the best possible future with a good security for jobs for its employees.”

Commenting on the acquisition, Clemence Cheng, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports Europe said, “We are delighted to strengthen further our presence in the Port of Rotterdam. We already handle the majority of containers in the port through ECT’s Delta and Euromax terminals. The addition of APMTR will further enhance our ability to offer a first class and flexible service to our customers.

We will continue to serve Maersk’s existing business at the terminal and will work with the workforce to develop the customer and volume base to meet growing demand. We have the opportunity to redevelop and enhance the facility in the future and look forward to continuing to grow our business in the port.”

APM Terminals operates one of the world’s most comprehensive port networks. It is uniquely positioned to help both shipping line and landside customers grow their business and achieve better supply chain efficiency, flexibility and dependability.

Its team of 22,000 industry professionals is focused on delivering the operational excellence and solutions businesses require to reach their potential. The 75 terminals in its global network are operated exclusively by APM Terminals or together with a joint venture partner. This equates to handling around 250 vessel calls per day and 11.5 million moves per year.

APM Terminals is part of A.P. Moller -Maersk.

Hutchison Ports is the port and related services division of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited.

Hutchison Ports is the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with a network of port operations in 53 ports spanning 27 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia.

Over the years, Hutchison Ports has expanded into other logistics and transportation-related businesses, including cruise ship terminals, distribution centres, rail services and ship repair facilities. In 2020, Hutchison Ports handled a combined throughput of 83.7 million TEU.

May 19th - 25th, 2021 Issue

Chennai

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Port Wings News Network cean Network Express (ONE) continues to expand its current refrigerated container (reefer) fleet by adding another 27,500 new units (including 850 units equipped with advanced Controlled Atmosphere (CA) technology) to meet the growing demand for refrigerated cargo around the world. This new investment comes on the heels of 5000 units (all 40’HC) invested by ONE in early 2020, which demonstrates its strong commitment to meet the demand for containerized reefer trade.

Despite the challenges triggered by COVID-19, the global refrigerated container trade showed strong resilience in 2020 compared to dry cargo and ONE expects this growth to be maintained in 2021.

ONE is currently working towards the application of the latest IoT technology into its fleet of reefer containers which provides real time visibility of critical information such as the temperature and humidity inside the container, thereby enhancing cargo care during the entire voyage.

Hiroki Tsujii, Managing Director, Marketing & Commercial in Ocean Network Express (ONE) commented “ONE now has one of the largest and youngest reefer fleet in the world, equipped with the most advanced technologies designed to handle perishable cargo demand. Since inception, ONE has been consistently investing in new reefer containers, which in turn has helped to position ourselves in a strategically important & growing business segment.”

ONE’s Global Reefer Business Planning team based at ONE’s HQ in Singapore, develops ONE’s

global reefer marketing and business strategy through the close monitoring of market demand and the close collaboration with ONE’s regional reefer teams located around the world. ONE’s Reefer technical team is available both on board and on shore providing round the clock assistance and monitoring of its customers’ precious reefer cargo throughout the voyage.

Hapag-Lloyd With Strong Start To The Year In First Quarter

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26

YEARS

Akil Enterprises (Exim Logistics Agency)

• Clearing & Forwarding Services • Sea, Air Freight Services • Break Bulk Cargo Handling • Container Movements • Supply Chain Managements • Warehousing Arrangements No.72/149, Linghi Chetty Street, 1st Floor, Mannady, Chennai - 600 001. India Ph: 0091-44-42166381 / 25260381 Email: aeclear@gmail.com

26

YEARS

Chennai

Port Wings News Network apag-Lloyd has concluded the first quarter of 2021 with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of roughly USD 1.9 billion (approximately EUR 1.6 billion).

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose to roughly USD 1.5 billion (approximately EUR 1.3 billion). The Group net result improved to around USD 1.5 billion (EUR 1.2 billion).

“On the back of the high demand for container transports, we have benefited from better freight rates, especially in the spot market. On top of that, bunker prices have been lower than in 2020. As a result, we concluded the first quarter with a Svery er v positive entfinancial result and ic iffer ruly Doverall looke Tback on a solid start to the year,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

Revenues increased in the first quarter of 2021 by around 33 percent, to roughly USD 4.9 billion (approximately EUR 4.1 billion), particularly due to a higher average freight rate, which increased by approximately 38 percent to reach 1,509 USD/TEU (Q1 2020: 1,094 USD/TEU). Nevertheless, due to the demand-related congestion of port and hinterland infrastructures in many places as well as to a resulting shortage of freely available ships and containers, the transport volume was slightly below the level of the same quarter of the prior year, at roughly 3.0 million TEU (Q1 2020: approximately 3.1 million TEU), or minus 2.6 percent. On the other hand, a roughly 27 percent lower average bunker consumption price, which amounted to USD 384 per tonne in the first three months of the 2021 financial year (Q1 2020: USD 523

per tonne), had a positive impact on earnings.

Hapag-Lloyd expects that the EBITDA and EBIT for the current 2021 financial year as a whole will clearly surpass the prior-year level.

While the positive earnings trend is likely to continue in the second quarter of 2021, a gradual normalisation is currently expected in the second half of the year. However, this forecast remains subject to considerable uncertainty due to a number of factors, including: the above-average volatility of freight rates at this time; operational challenges, such as infrastructural bottlenecks; and the inability to predict the future course or economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rolf Habben Jansen stated: “While we remain optimistic for 2021 as a whole, the

ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic and the congested supply chains continue to present a huge challenge to all market participants. We will do everything in our power to help normalise this difficult market environment as quickly as possible and make as much capacity available as possible. We will also double down on our efforts to provide the best possible service quality to our customers – as we know that we can and must still do better on that front – and we will continue to implement our Strategy 2023.”

Port Wings - Maritime Exim Weekly Newspaper : Published by K.Sivakumar on behalf of Universal Media Associates, Old No.72, New No.149, 1st Floor, Srinivasa Complex, Linghi Street, Mannady, Chennai - 600 001. And Printed by V.Meganathan at Web Kingdom, No.115, Jani John Khan Road, Royapettah, Chennai – 600014. Editor: K.Sivakumar.