Cochin Port is a major port in India located on the Arabian Sea. It serves as an important international transshipment terminal due to its strategic location on major sea routes. The document discusses Cochin Port's operations, departments, organizational structure, SWOT analysis and recommendations. It finds that while Cochin Port is well-organized, it faces challenges like high costs and competition that can be addressed through measures like effective cost control, private participation and attracting more cargo volume.

2. Introduction
 Over 90% of world trade is carried by the international
shipping industry
 A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or
more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or
cargo to or from land
 Ports play a key role in the seaborne trade

3. Scope of the study
 Cochin is the fastest growing logistics centre emerging in
to a major international transshipment terminal.
 An all-weather natural port, and located strategically close
to the busiest international sea routes.
 Cochin Port helps to handle large numbers of ships with
cargo weighting in tones of millions, container shipment
and also passenger ship.

4. Objectives of the study
Primary objective
To understand the functioning of the organization as a whole
Secondary objectives
 To understand the history, growth profile, structure and
future plans of the organization.
 To understand various departments and their functions.
 To conduct SWOT analysis.
 To understand the hierarchical structure followed in the
organization.
 To observe the employees at the work place and to interact
with them.

5. About Cochin Port
 Cochin hailed as the queen of Arabian Sea. Cochin Port is a
major port on the Arabian Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route and is
one of the largest ports in India.
 Cochin port is a natural port.
 Port has two wharfs (Ernakulam wharf and Mattanchery wharf)
 CPT is regular member of the international association of ports
and harbor.
 The major items handled at the port are high value, low volume
cargos such as spices, tea and coffee, cashew kernels and
garments. It also deals with crude oils, fertilizers, coals etc

6. International sea route

7. Location of Cochin Port
 The port lies on two islands in the Lake of
Kochi: Willington Island and Vallarpadam, towards
the Fort Kochi river mouth opening onto the Arabian Sea
 This all weather port is strategically located on the east-
west trade route only 10 miles away from the direct sea
route to Australia and far east from Europe. No other port
enjoys this closeness to the maritime highway. This
location advantage puts Cochin Port in a commanding
position to exploit the massive east-west ocean trade.
 Also its nearness to the Cochin international airport and
railway terminals gives its instant access to the world.

8. Layout of Cochin Port

9. Services of Cochin port
 Marine services
On Arrival:
All ships on approaching Cochin are to contact Cochin Port
Control on VHF Channel 15 / 16 and report their E.T.A. to
receive instructions on Pilot boarding / anchoring.
Port Channels:
Inner harbor is divided into two navigational channels –
Ernakulam Channel of 2800m long and 300 – 500 m wide
with depths from 9.75 to 13.5 m and Mattanchery Channel
of 2200 m long and 180 – 250 m wide with a depth of 9.75
m. Mattancheri Channel has the berths Q1 to Q4, North and
South Coal berths and B.T.P.Ernakulam Channel has berths
Q5 to Q10

10.  Cargo services
 Personal Baggage Clearance
Cochin Port has facility to handle unaccompanied personal
baggage received in containers. The container will be de-
stuffed at Q6 shed and the goods will be examined and
cleared by Customs Office in Q6 shed
 Container Freight System (CFS)
Cochin Port has a full fledged Container Freight Station
with mechanized stuffing and destuffing service.
 LO-LO/RO-RO Terminal
Cochin Port has set up a Lo-Lo/Ro-Ro Terminal for
transporting the containers between the Willington Island
and ICTT Vallarpadam.

11. GENERAL UTILITY SERVICES
 Ferry Services
Cochin Port has regular ferry service to various Islands
in Lakshadweep. Lakshadweep Administration and
Lakshadweep Development Corporation Ltd. is
chartering the voyages and issues tickets to
passengers.
 Fire Fighting Services
Responsible for fire prevention, protection and
extinction activities, safe handling of Hazardous cargo
etc. Trained in pollution control operations also.

12. Organizational structure
Board of Trustees
Chairman
Deputy chairman
Civil engineering
department
Mechanical
engineering
department
Medical
department
Marine
department
Finance &
accounts
department
Traffic
department
General
Administration
Department
Stores
department

13. General administration department
 This department is headed by the secretary of Cochin Port
Trust. He is assisted by three deputy secretary and
assistant secretary.
 The main function of the department is to coordinate the
various activities of the other departments of the port trust
such as appointments, training, promotions and other
personal matters, convening of the meetings of the board
of trusties and sub committees, preparation of agenda for
the meeting and follow up actions, decisions taken up,
public relations work, implementation official language
act, preventive vigilance etc.

14. Finance & accounts department
 The Central Accounts Department is headed by the financial
advisor and chief account officer. The financial advisor and
chief account officer is assisted by additional financial
advisor, deputy financial advisor (revenue), deputy financial
advisor (finance and accounts), deputy financial advisor
(administration), cost accounts officer, deputy director
(EDP), Sr. deputy chief accountant and other supporting
staff.
 The department has the function of holding the treasury
accounts, auditor, finance controller and financial advisor of
the port trust. Maintenance of proper books of accounts and
cost control activities as well as financial elevation of
various projects is the responsibility of the financial advisor
and chief accounts officer.

15. Marine department
 The marine department is headed by the Deputy
conservator. The harbor master, dock master and dredging
superintendent assist him in task.
 The ships called the Cochin Port are safety taken in,
berthed, safe guarded from the pollution and fire and
safety directed back after completion of the work.
 Pollution control is the responsibility of this department
 The piloting of the vessel in and out of the port, fire
service, signals station operation etc are responsible of this
department

16. Mechanical engineering department
 The mechanical engineering department is headed by the
chief mechanical engineer.
 This department performs the functions of maintaining
and operating all the cargos on the berth.
 It is directly involved in the operations of port apart from
the repair and maintenance of all port equipments,
vehicles, floating crafts etc.

17. Traffic department
 They provides guidelines for carry out traffic operations.
It is mainly concerned with the movement of cargo and
goods.
 They control the traffic of vessels cargo and containers at
the port.
 It is headed by traffic manager. He is responsible for the
receipt/dispatch of cargo which the port handles. He is
assisted by an additional traffic manager, two deputy
traffic manager, four assistant traffic manager, wharf
superintends and welfare officers

18. Medical department
 The department is headed by chief medical officer.
 This department provides medical facilities to the port
employees, their departments and other residents of
Willington Island.
 There is first aid post at different centers and isolation
centers to treat infectious diseases. The causality section
of the hospital works round the clock.

19. Stores department
 This department is headed by chief engineer and
administrator. He looks after the overall functioning of the
department
 Controller of the Stores (COS) is in charge of the stores.
 All materials required for day to day operations and
functioning of CPT via spares for the operation and
maintenance of cargo handling equipments, floating crafts,
automobiles, electrical items are procured stored and
issued by this division.

20. Civil engineering department
 The civil engineering department is headed by the civil
engineer.
 The main functions include maintenance and development
of the general conservancy of the port from the
engineering point of view.
 The principle activity of this department is planning,
design and execution of development of port infrastructure
like land area berthing structures, navigational channels,
storage areas, storage sheds, roads and bridges connection
and office and residential buildings.

21. SWOT analysis
Strengths
 Closest Indian port on the international sea route
 24 hour pilotage is provided
 Bunkering and water service
 Adequate warehousing capacity
 Single window facility for customs, immigration and health
clearance
 The first port based special economic zone in India
 An ISO 9001-2000 port
 Zero pilferage due to good security system
 Well connected road and rail network

22. Weaknesses
 High operating and handling cost
 High influence of trade union
 Delay in getting projects sanctioned due to various
controls
 Lack of professional attitude from the employees
 Lack of modern infrastructure and equipment
 High tariff structure as compared to other nearest ports

23. Opportunities
 Increasing exports and imports due to globalization,
especially container cargo
 Encouraging private participation and joint venture
prospects
 LNG terminal was formed to meet the requirements of
natural gas for in and around Kochi
 Modern development projects bought by foreign ports
 Emerging as a international bunkering center

24. Threats
 High competition from neighboring ports
 Increased inter port as well as intra port competition
 Slow industrial growth in Kerala
 Growth of Manglore port and Chennai port

25. Findings
 Cochin Port has well defined organization structure
 In Cochin port, there is a harmonious relationship between the
employees and management
 Trade unions are found to be more active in Cochin Port Trust
 Marine pollution is under the control of CPT including the
development of the cochin port oil spill contingency plan and
operation and maintenance of the oil spill equipment held with
the port
 Bringing new development projects as and when necessary

26.  Operating profit of the cochin port has increased in 2014-
2015 (Rs. 18.5)
 Dredging and maintenance cost of Vallarpadam container
terminal is the major reason for port in loss
 Traffic department, marine department and mechanical
department are the key departments in Cochin Port trust
 There is no separate HR department. HR department is
only a wing of General Administration department
 Computerization of operations has resulted in under
utilization of existing manpower. So in order to reduce
cost, port trust is adopting downsizing.

27. Suggestions
 Effective cost control mechanism should be implemented in
order to turn the organization into a profit making one.
 The employees should be more professional to their work.
Then only port can achieve efficiency in performance and
eliminate competition
 More private participation can be encouraged for speedy
implementation of new projects.
 Effort should be made to attract more cargos to Cochin Port
which has been diverted to the neighboring ports like
Tuticorin, Manglore and Chennai
 Computerization of operations has resulted in under
utilization of existing manpower. Therefore the workers
have to be redeployed according to their skills and abilities

28.  Management should adopt better motivational techniques
to reduce increased absenteeism
 Fully fledged personnel department is necessary for the
speedy redressal of employee grievance
 Rethinking on the current tariff structure is necessary in
order to compete with other major ports and private ports
 Delay in implementing new projects is to be avoided
 Before implementing any new development projects, its
economic viability is to be thoroughly analyzed

29. Conclusion
Cochin port trust basically deals with export and import
trade of cargo and goods through waterways. Cochin
port has a bright future with regard to
containerization. It is one of the major ports of the
country which if developed properly can compete with
the international ports like Dubai, Singapore,
Colombo etc. the organizational study conducted at
CPT was an opportunity to understand the practical
side of the management theories. This study helped to
understand the functions performed by various
departments of the Port Trust.