VDS Rama Raju / Chennai/ Visakhapatnam Nov 23, 2009, 00:08 IST
Visakhapatnam port is allowing shipping companies to appoint private workers on a temporary basis to minimise the impact of strike called by cargo handling workers.
More than 3,000 workers have gone on strike since November 19 demanding implementation of manning scales.
About 39 vessels have been waiting for a berth from the last couple of days. A few cargo operators have even shifted their ships to nearby Gangavaram port. As on date, four vessels have been shifted to Gangavaram port.
Cargo handling operations have not been affected and currently about 18 vessels are working at the harbour, K Naresh Kumar, secretary, Vizag port, told Business Standard.
The port has till date handled about 42.5 million tonne of cargo during the current financial year, which is about 600,000 tonne higher compared with the last fiscal corresponding period, Naresh Kumar said.
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