A strike by the All Sea Ports Trailer Owners Consortium from December 10 morning has disrupted movement of containers at the ports of Chennai, Katupalli and Ennore, according to sources.
The trailer owners stopped movement of trailers/trucks to the ports against the recent notification of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on the increase in fitness certification testing fees for older vehicles, especially over 15 -20 years, the Chennai Port Authority said in a circular on Friday.
However, many transport associations, container freight stations and Custom House Agents are not participating in the strike and are running their vehicles to transport container and other cargoes, the authority said.
It is also observed that some of the transporters, CFS and CHAs are not willing to participate in the strike but are reluctant to run the vehicles due to fear of threat from the associations participating in the strike, the circular said.
They are also demanding regulation and streamlining of the online fine system, sources said.
The Chennai Customs Brokers Association Secretary R N Sekar in a circular said that despite a meeting convened today by the RTO with the Trailer Association, no resolution was reached, and the association has decided to continue the strike until their demands are met.
As a result, deliveries and export movements at all three ports – Chennai, Kattupalli, and Ennore – are disrupted, leading to heavy detention, demurrage and additional costs for the trade, he said.