The Hindu Business Line : Ports on track to double cargo-handling capacities: Baalu

SEAPORTS need to double their cargo-handling capacities to 800 million tonnes in the coming decade, and they are geared to achieve this target, according to the Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu.

The Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project is proceeding well with 20 lakh cubic metres of seabed dredged. Two private companies, Hyundai Engineering, Korea, and another, a joint venture between Jan De Nul & Boskalis of Belgium and The Netherlands, have been identified for further dredging in the Palk Strait and in Adams Bridge.

Addressing reporters here on Saturdayhe said capacity expansions at all the major ports, and improving road and rail links were happening with the involvement of the private sector. Simultaneously, training and skill upgradation of manpower was also being enabled with maritime institutes of international standards coming up in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Growth in port handling capacity was about 11 per cent a year with the total handling capacity at 397.5 million tonnes. By 2013-14 they would handle 800 million tonnes, he said.

A new LNG port was envisaged with a special purpose vehicle to be promoted for the Rs 1,200-crore project. For the Rs 1,100-crore offshore terminal at Mumbai, the technical bids had been opened and 11 bidders were in the fray, he said.

The proposal for a container terminal at Kandla Port, Gujarat, is in the final stages of approval, according to Mr Baalu.

At JNPT, study was on for a fourth container terminal even as the third one was under implementation.

The bids for a second container terminal at the Chennai Port would be opened on Monday (November 7). Eleven bidders had pre-qualified for the project, he said.

At the Ennore Port, the pre-qualification process was on for the Rs 300-crore coal terminal; and for the iron ore terminal, Sical had been identified, he said.

The draught at the ports wasbeing increased to enable them handle larger vessels. Rail connectivity was being improved with new lines being laid and where needed, doubled. The JNPT-Panvel line in Maharastra; Kolkata-Haldia line; and between Kandla-Palanpur line, Gujarat werebeing doubled.

New rail lines were being laid to link Mangalore-Hassan; Vallarpadom-Kochi; and Vadal-Kurla.

A broad gauge line would soon connect Ennore-Periyapalayam-Renigunta-Ponneri, he said.

Mr Baalu said that the National Institute of Port Management at Uthandi on the East Coast Road near Chennai would soon be upgraded to National Maritime Academy status. US-based regional maritime training institutes would be involved in this project. Over 15 acres of land would be acquired adjacent to the existing facility. This would be in addition to the proposed maritime university and the 400-acre national maritime complex, he said.

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