In a move boosting Nepal trade, the Government of Nepal is keen on leveraging the infrastructure potential of the Indian port city Vishakhapatnam.<\/p>\n
In line with its traders\u2019 response, Nepal is mulling to utilize the Vizag port as a transit for its imports from the third-world countries.<\/p>\n
In this regard, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has recently held discussions with Nepal Transit and Warehousing Co Ltd., the organization dealing as a customs agent for government cargoes.<\/p>\n
For Nepali traders, the trade via Vizag is more predictable than that of the Kolkata Port owing to its riverine infrastructure that doesn\u2019t allow any further expansion. Its capabilities have also been limited to just handle feeder vessels.<\/p>\n
Inefficiency and limited capabilities of the Kolkata Port such as costs and infrastructure limitations are resulting in high detention and demurrage charges for Nepali traders while shipping liners due to delays in clearing containers on the port.<\/p>\n
\u201cLack of transparency and involvement of middlemen in different layers result in high cost of trade from Kolkata, hence Nepali industries importing raw materials through Kolkata port are less competitive,\u201d say the MoC officials.<\/p>\n