After ICTT, Container Freight Station is next

KOCHI: The Union government has approved the Cochin Port Trust’s proposal to develop a Container Freight Station (CFS) at Vallarpadam near the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT). The CFS, which will be the first of its kind in the vicinity of the ICTT, will be developed by Gateway Distriparks (Kerala) (GDKL), the joint venture company floated by Gateway Distriparks and Chakiat Group, which won a tender invited by the Port Trust to develop the CFS. As per the conditions put forward by the Union government, the developer has to provide infrastructure such as godowns and warehousing facilities along with handling equipment such as lifts and cranes. The developer also has to provide facilities for stationing the customs. The developer should further sent a quarterly progress report to the Ministry of Commerce regarding the implementation of the project. The operator should also strictly adhere to the Handling Cargo in Customs areas regulations IOF 2009 and Customs Act 1962. Operation will be under the observance of the Cochin Port Trust.“A CFS in Vallarpadam, that too near ICTT, will be a great boost to the logistics operations. The proposed CFS, to be set on around five hectares, will have a capacity to handle approximately 2000 TEUS containers,” said C Unnikrishnan Nair, traffic manager, Cochin Port Trust. With the setting up of CFS, it is expected that fight between the customs and special economic zone will come to an end to a great extent. “The CFS will have facilities for the customs station and the customs personnel can carry out their operations there,” said Port Trust chairman Paul Antony.