The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata Port to acquire trailer suction dredger

KOLKATA Port Trust (KOPT) proposes to acquire a trailer suction dredger to replace one of its existing dredgers in operation and has accordingly approached the Shipping Ministry for clearance and support.

KOPT's dredger fleet consists of three vessels; all trailer suction type useful for maintenance dredging. Two of these dredgers, "Churni" and "Subarnarekha", both Dutch built, are nearly 40 years old and, therefore, due for scrapping.

These dredgers are deployed in the channel used by ships for movement to and from Kolkata Dock System. The proposed acquisition is intended to replace one of these two dredgers.

The dredger, "Mahaganga", built in 1978 by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, the State-owned ship-building and ship-repairing firm, is deployed in the Haldia channel to facilitate movement of vessels to and from the Haldia dock.

Given a choice, KOPT perhaps would like to acquire a dredger from abroad, particularly after its not-so-satisfactory experience with the indigenously built dredger. But then acquisition from abroad may not be an easy proposition. First, the availability. New building will take several years while the right type of second-hand dredger may not be available in the international market. The dredging requirement in the Hooghly river being unique, dredgers with required specifications may not be readily available. More important, the foreign dredging contractors generally do not sell second-hand dredgers; they ensure that the second-hand dredgers are scrapped. Capping it all is the cost. A foreign dredger is prohibitively expensive.

Several options, therefore, are being examined as to how to circumvent the problems. One suggestion has been to have it built within the country but with Dutch assistance. IHC of Holland, considered the world leader in dredger-building, may be approached in this regard. But then if the past experience is any guide, such an experiment need not necessarily yield the best results.