R. Balaji

Tuticorin , March 16

IN these days of double-hulled ships and vessels capable of carrying several thousand tonnes of cargo, a small community of sailors plies the oceans in wind-driven wooden ships carrying a few hundred tonnes of cargo.

"We can face competition from modern vessels; only let the Government enable us to do that," say the vessel owners.

Based in Tuticorin, over 40 sailing vessels each crewed by 15 people carry an assortment of cargo to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the Andaman Islands and various small ports on the west coast. The have a capacity to carry about 400 tonnes of cargo and transport agriculture produce, construction material and consumer goods.

But competition from modern cargo carriers in the face of unfriendly government policies are edging them out of a business that they have been carrying on for centuries, say the sailing vessel operators.

There is a niche that they can occupy. Not everyone wants to transport cargo in thousands of tonnes. "People do need to move a few hundred tonnes and we are good at it," they say.

They transport agro-produce such as chillies, potatoes, garlic and onions; construction material such as sand and cement; and assorted spare parts for machinery. They charge about Rs 600 - Rs 1,000 a tonne of chillies, Rs 500 for potatoes and about Rs 375 for cement. Larger carriers cannot match these prices. There is an increase in coastal traffic, they say.

But the problem is that the authorities are not willing to spare some time or space, says Mr J.D. Miranda, Honorary Secretary of the Tuticorin Sailing Vessel Owners' Association.

In Sri Lanka, for instance, they no longer have an exclusive berth. Larger vessels are given priority and the sailing vessels have to wait for days before they are permitted to berth. They have even been asked to give way to the larger cargo carriers while in the process of unloading cargo.

The Shipping Ministry here has to intervene on behalf of the sailing vessel owners. Though both the Governments have recognised their trade in the Indo-Sri Lankan Joint Commission, the intention has not translated into action, he said.

At home the situation is no better, he said.

The old Tuticorin port, out of which they operate, has been neglected. The 12 ft draught in the port has come down to 10 ft due to silting. Though the authorities have earmarked Rs 1.8 crore for desilting the work has not been taken up, he said.

Also, the Centre has to announce that the sailing vessel trade is an industry. This would help bring in support of banks. Now the operators have to depend on money lenders who charge about 36 per cent interest.

Insurance costs are heavy because there is a perception of high risk. But that was unwarranted, according to Mr Miranda.

The boats are equipped with Global Positioning System and high frequency wireless communication facilities. All the boats now have diesel engines powering them and the sails supplement only when the winds are favourable. But the premium to insure six tonnes of beedi leaves is Rs 7,200 against Rs 1,200 if the same cargo is containerised.

The sailing vessel business is geared to high productivity because the owners and the crew share the gross income and not just the profit. The owner takes 65 per cent of the income and the crew 35 per cent. And the cost is shared in the same percentage. The owner shells out 65 per cent of the cost of diesel and the crew 35 per cent.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu Business Line