THOOTHUKUDI: Container trailer owners in Thoothukudi launched an indefinite strike on Thursday, threatening to disrupt export-import operations through the VOC Port as they pressed for a revised freight agreement and improved cargo handling.
The strike has been called by the Thoothukudi District Container Lorry Owners’ Association, which is demanding that the Thoothukudi Customs Brokers’ Association execute a written freight agreement providing revised hiring charges.
The association has also sought payment of a 90 per cent advance for outstation trips, settlement of freight bills within 15 days, immediate unloading of vehicles on arrival at container yards, and completion of loading and unloading of containers at berths 8 and 9 within two hours of a lorry entering the port.
The VOC Port handles a substantial volume of export and import cargo through container services. About 3,000 container trailer lorries operate in Thoothukudi district, of which nearly 2,000 transport containers to and from the port every day, forming a vital link in the region’s logistics chain.
With the strike taking effect from Thursday morning, most container trailer lorries remained parked at their respective yards, while a few were lined up along the port road.
As no container vessel berthed at the port during the day, there was no major disruption to cargo movement. However, the association warned that if the agitation continued when container ships called at the port, export-import trade worth several crores of rupees could be affected.
It urged the VOC Port authorities, the Customs Brokers’ Association and other stakeholders to hold immediate talks and resolve the issue to avert disruption to port operations and the supply chain.
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