<p data-path-to-node="5">Highlighting underutilized port land and declining revenue streams, the <b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="87">Cochin Port Employees' Union (CPEU)</b> has submitted a comprehensive representation to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways urging a dedicated revitalization master plan for Willingdon Island.</p><p data-path-to-node="6">Following the shift of major container operations to the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), large tracts of land, warehouses, and berth infrastructure on Willingdon Island have remained underutilized. The union urged central and state authorities to step in with targeted capital investments and policy support to monetize vacant port assets, attract non-containerized cargo, and protect local maritime employment.</p><h3 data-path-to-node="8"><b data-path-to-node="8" data-index-in-node="0">Commercial Repurposing, Asset Monetization, and Infrastructure Demands</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="9">The union outlined key structural recommendations to restore Willingdon Island’s economic viability:</p><ul data-path-to-node="10"><li><p data-path-to-node="10,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">Repurposing Vacant Warehouses &amp; Land:</b> CPEU called for converting idle port-owned warehouses and vacant plots into Grade-A logistics parks, cold storage hubs, and free trade warehousing zones (FTWZ) to generate steady lease rental revenue.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Diversifying Cargo Streams:</b> To offset loss of container volumes to Vallarpadam, the union advocated positioning Willingdon Island berths for coastal cargo, clean bulk, liquid cargo, and cruise tourism operations.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Rationalizing Tariff Structures:</b> The trade body requested the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) and Cochin Port Authority (CoPA) to review vessel call charges and wharfage rates to make Willingdon Island competitive for coastal shipping operators.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,3,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,3,0" data-index-in-node="0">Protecting Port Revenue &amp; Employment:</b> Revitalizing the historic port precinct is crucial to safeguarding thousands of direct and indirect maritime jobs while strengthening CoPA’s balance sheet to meet ongoing operational and pension obligations.</p></li></ul>