The Hindu Business Line : NMPT: A bunker opportunity

THE strategic location of the New Mangalore Port along international sea routes, has got its Port Trust pondering over the establishment of an offshore bunkering facility.

Officials of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) say that bunkering services can be provided to ocean-going and coastal vessels, both in territorial and international waters. Based on the feasibility study by the National Ship and Design Research Centre, Visakhapatnam, the NMPT has submitted a proposal to the Centre seeking its approval for the establishment of a bunkering facility.

The Trust wants to establish an offshore bunkering facility for vessels passing through the international and domestic routes without entering the Port limits.

According to the NMPT Chairman, Mr P. Tamilvanan, the objective is to provide full-fledged bunker facilities with the resources available within the Port by incorporating the required modifications. The facility will be established with private sector participation.

It is not that the NMPT is not providing bunkering services to ships. Some of the vessels bunker at the port because of the lines by the Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation.

According to experts, the Port can provide bunkering facilities up to 2 million tonnes a year with exclusive facility at the Port. At present, ships have to go to such ports as Colombo and Singapore.

For bunkering, barges and specially designed vessels will be required. The vessels should have a storage capacity of 1,800-2,000 tonnes. Integrated vessels or self-propelled barges can be used for offshore bunkering services. The project also involves the construction of a berth at the virtual jetty site in the Port premises.

As the virtual jetty has pipelines for drawing fuel and water, a four-acre vacant land close to the jetty can be used for the development of transit storages of fuel and water.

Apart from this, pipeline linkages and bunker storage tanks also need to be constructed. Officials say that the facilities at the Port have been examined for their utilisation for offshore bunkering facility. Considering the high bunker price compared to that of Singapore, the NMPT wants to set up the facility under the proposed special economic zone (SEZ) at Mangalore.

Port officials hope the tax concession under the SEZ will help them market the bunker at par with Singapore.

The Karnataka Government, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) had signed a memorandum of understanding to set up an SEZ at Mangalore.

Subsequently, the NMPT was invited to participate in the project. The Port has identified three projects — LNG terminal, bunkering, and dry dock — to be taken up under the SEZ.

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