V.O. Chidambaranar (V.O.C) Port is a key ocean port of India, strategically located at the south eastern coast with operations round-the-clock. Being a major feeder hub, V.O.C has been witnessing phenomenal increase in trade volumes. The port has a dedicated container terminal operated by PSA International. V.O.C Port’s traffic handling is more than 36.91 million tonnes as recorded in the year 2017. Its location which is close to East-West International Sea Route, offers direct connectivity to all major ports in the world.
Various stakeholders at the V.O.C. Port like Freight Forwarders, Customs Brokers, CFS/ICDs, Transporters, Port Authority, Customs, Terminal Operators and Security forces (CISF) were hassled by the unorganised and redundant operations that involved long hauls, repetitive paperwork and operational hiccups. Owing to the increasing volume of port transactions and the haphazard movement of shipment vehicles, Tuticorin Port Trust formed the ‘Seamless Movement Committee’ consisting of the above stakeholders to undertake initiatives to align and manage the port transactions that would ensure seamless movement of cargo through the V.O.C. Port. IGST refunds is a big issue with the exporters in India, there are thousands of crores of refund stuck with the government. This is blunting the competitive edge of exports and is causing liquidity problem.
These stakeholders were looking for a solution that would not only address the current issues but also prove to be sustainable to the growing volumes of cargo operations. Chidamabaranar (Tuticorin) Port Trust & Tuticorin CFS association joined hands with Kale Logistics Solutions to develop India’s first Container Digital Exchange Platform – CODEX, to automate and digitally streamline the container movement at the V.O.C Port. This Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) based electronic platform expedited seamless movement of EXIM Containers in and out of the port from/to the Tuticorin based CFS/ICDs. It electronically connected the pertinent stakeholders and ensured transparency and ease of operational coordination.
“ The CODEX project has been implemented in time as planned. We experienced a very successful trial run in last 3 months’ duration. CODEX is already linking Tuticorin Port operations with V.O. C Port Trust system. In addition, other stakeholders including Shipper, Shipping lines and Agents amongst others have complete access to Container movement & details via both online portal and the Mobile APP. ” — Mr. David Raja, President –Tuticorin CFS Association
