Chennai Port Trust in India has decided to suspend for a period of about a month the mandatory use of newly installed mobile harbour cranes (MHCs). This is because the Chennai Stevedores Association has protested that the loading and unloading of bulk vessels can only be done using these cranes and that this is the case even if the vessel is geared. The Association says that, by using shore-based cranes in these situations, handling costs will rise. It wants the vessel owner or the stevedore to make the final decision on what equipment is used.
The port has two 100-tonne MHCs available.
BC