“What is in a name is a quote by William Shakespeare in Romeo& Juliet”. But for the shipping fraternity in Kochi, the name matters a lot due to mix-up of its usage as “Cochin Port”. According to them, it is messing up those in the international shipping circles.
They pointed out that the inconsistency in the usage as Kochi Port is reported to be creating ambiguity and confusion among the maritime fraternity despite its formal designation in 1996.
Cochin Port was officially renamed as Kochi Port in 1996 and is duly recognised in international maritime maps and operational references. However, numerous documents, forms and official communications originating from the port and its associated entities continue to refer to it as “Cochin Port”.
Official sources in the port told businessline that various masters of ships which are not calling Kochi on a regular basis have voiced their concerns as they could not locate the port in the navigational documents due to the reference as Cochin Port.
S.R.Kamath, president of Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, one of the oldest trade bodies in Willingdon Island, said the situation warrants immediate attention from the authorities as the inconsistency is more than a matter of nomenclature and create confusion among stakeholders including international shipping lines, trade partners, regulatory authorities and allied businesses.
Such discrepancies have the potential to disrupt seamless operations and communications, reflecting poorly on the port’s identity and professionalism, he said.
Appropriate steps
Cochin Port Employees Organisation has also taken up the issue requesting the port chairman to take appropriate steps in line with the Major Port Authorities Act 2021 and change the name of the port as Kochi Port Authority.
C.D.Nandakumar, general secretary, CPEO said that the name of Cochin Port is a residue of colonial past and taking that into consideration, Bombay and Madras ports were renamed as Mumbai and Chennai. Some other ports also changed their name recognising the nationality.
According to Kamath, the transition to consistent usage of the official name “Kochi Port” will enhance the port’s reputation and foster better communication and operational harmony among stakeholders.