Chittagong: Ship owners and agents at Chittagong seaport claimed they had to count around Tk 35 crore in loss for the shipping deadlock caused by the vessel workers’ strike.

The flagged and lighter ships were of no use during this eight-day-long holdup as no goods from the big ships could be unloaded at the outer anchorage.

Respective business groups expressed their deep concern about probable price-bulge, as the small ships laden with essential commodities could not move throughout the country.

Besides, the waterway blockade also blocked unloading goods at various jetties on the river Karnafuli, but the situation was under control at the jetties inside Ctg port.

The radio control department of Ctg Port Authority informed about 25 local and foreign mother vessels were in an anxious wait in the
outer anchorage.

“It costs at least 15,000 US dollars (around Tk 110,000) for a ship to stay in the port,” said chairman of Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Ahsanul Haque Chowdhury. “It means the strike spoilt at least Tk 18 crore of the ship owners.”

The officials of Bangladesh Water Transport Co-ordination Cell (the organization to control lighter ships) told banglanews24.com.bd that at least 800 lighter ships got stranded at 22 spots of the Karnafuli River banks due to the strike.

Because of the strike they didn’t get any booking, but had to pay daily wages and food allowances to the workers, which cost about Tk 16 crore from the ship owners’ pocket, they said about the fallout of the labour action aimed at clinching pay rises.

Executive director of the cell Commodore Nizamuddin (Rtd.) said 52 lighter ships were given two days’ schedule to unload goods at the outer anchors as the strike started. But the workers could not load any ship. “After that, we stopped giving new schedules.”

The ships were told to leave for the outer anchorage after the strike was called off Saturday. And the ships started moving as usual as the new shift started from Saturday night.

BdsT: 12:53 Hrs. 2010-05-16
SMM/AK/MUA/