The Cochin Port Employees Organization (CPEO) has urged the Cochin Port Authority to take immediate steps for the redevelopment and modernization of Willingdon Island, citing prolonged trade stagnation and a growing employment crisis.
Presenting a report at the union’s 21st Biennial Conference, CPEO General Secretary C.D. Nandakumar said Willingdon Island has suffered a significant decline in trade activities since the closure of the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal following the commissioning of the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam.
The union called on the port management to upgrade basic infrastructure on the island to attract more cargo vessels and maximize the utilization of the Cochin Port Container Freight Station (CFS). According to the union, trade unions have been demanding these improvements for the past 15 years and have submitted several proposals to the port management.
On the proposal by the Vallarpadam terminal operator to increase the draft in the berth basin, the union said the request should be considered only after executing a sub-agreement that guarantees additional revenue to compensate for the increasing costs of capital and maintenance dredging. It also urged the Central Government to bear the rising maintenance dredging expenses or facilitate a proportional cost-sharing mechanism among all navigation channel users.
The CPEO further recommended the formation of an expert committee, in consultation with port users and other stakeholders, to develop operational coordination between Vizhinjam Port and Vallarpadam Terminal to create synergies and enhance regional port competitiveness.
The union also urged the port authorities to coordinate with relevant agencies to fully utilize the infrastructure developed on port land at Vallarpadam and Puthuvype, which it said would help improve cargo throughput and increase port revenue.
Highlighting workforce concerns, the union said several critical port operations are being affected due to vacancies created by employee retirements remaining unfilled. It demanded immediate recruitment to fill these positions and called for contract workers to receive equal pay and benefits on par with permanent employees, in line with the 2016 Supreme Court judgment.