The Hindu Business Line : Chennai port plans ro-ro car terminal

Chennai June 11 The Chennai Port Trust is planning to construct a ro-ro (roll on/roll off) car terminal at a cost of Rs 80 crore. It will offer the terminal to an operator on a build, own and transfer basis for a period of 30 years.

The port trust earlier had plans for a multi-level car parking facility inside the port. This would be done separately at a cost of Rs 50 crore, according to port trust chairman Mr K. Suresh.

Nhava Sheva had a ro-ro terminal, but it has now become a common berth. Chennai will have the only ro-ro terminal in the country, he told Business Line.

However, the ro-ro terminal will help transportation of wheeled vehicles that may be driven into and out of the ship. It will be constructed on the southern end of the container terminal and have a capacity to park around 5,000 cars in an area of 10,000 sq m. A ro-ro berth will also be constructed in 250-metre length, 30-metre width and 12-metre depth, according to sources.

Chennai is the top automobile exporting port in the country. It handled about 1.15 lakh Hyundai cars during 2006-07, 12 per cent higher than the corresponding figure for the previous year.

In January, the Chennai Port Trust signed a 12-year agreement with Hyundai Motors India Ltd to increase export of cars through the port. The agreement offers concessions in wharfage and vessel-related charges, including pilot charges, based on the number of cars exported by Hyundai and the gross registered tonnage of car carriers calling at the port in a financial year.

On June 14, the Port Trust will meet officials of operators involved in car-carrier logistics and automobile manufacturers who intend to export their cars through Chennai port, says an advertisement.

The meeting will discuss issues such as volumes of cars/trucks likely to be handled through the terminal; facilities required; norms for benchmarking the performance of comparable ro-ro terminals; physical details and facilities of the terminals and details of the car carrier fleet.

The meeting will also discuss terms and conditions and tariff of the car park and ro-ro car facilities operated at various European and American ports, the advertisement says.

More Stories on : Shipping | Cars | Exports & Imports

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Global airline traffic up 5% in 2006: ICAO

Changi, Tatas jointly bid for three airports in Karnataka

Govt to sign pacts with global flight training institutes

Cabinet nod for Chennai greenfield airport sought

Panel favours dedicated box terminal at Diamond Harbour

Kochi port SEZ: NTPC arm to take up feasibility study on power supply

Chennai port plans ro-ro car terminal

Railways plans to raise freight charges

Air Deccan expects to break even before 2008-end