Kandla Port promises to reduce vessel congestion to facilitate import of edible oil

According to the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association (IVPA), Gujarat’s Kandla Port has promised to resolve vessel congestion difficulties and guarantee continuous supplies of edible oil. Sushil Kumar Singh, the chairman of Kandla Port, gave the guarantee during a meeting with industry stakeholders to address bottlenecks affecting the import of edible oils, including palm oil.

According to the IVPA, Singh listed infrastructure upgrades that include new 14-inch pipelines and plans to handle edible oil at two more docks with specialized pipelines. Instead of relocating ships to outer anchorage for re-berthing, which would have increased expenses for importers, the port authorities decided to keep its current approach of applying penalty charges for delayed vessel discharges, according to the organization.

Singh encouraged vessel agents to raise any concerns prior to ships arriving or during daily berthing meetings, and he emphasized the necessity of coordination between importers and port officials to minimize delays when vessels dock. An important entry point for India’s imports of edible oils, especially palm oil, is Kandla Port. Recently, there has been a lot of congestion at the facility as several ships transporting Indonesian crude palm oil wait for berths.

In order to increase operating efficiency and streamline discharge procedures, the port chairman welcomed feedback from surveyors, vessel agents, terminal operators, and customs brokers. With palm oil making up the majority of its imports from outside, India is the biggest importer of edible oils in the world.