The Hindu Business Line : Kochi port awards dredging contract to Jaisu Shipping

The preparatory work for the second stage of capital dredging for deepening and widening channels and dredging for International Container Transhipment Terminal basin to provide a draught of 14.5 metres is in progress.

V. Sajeev Kumar

Kochi, July 3 The Cochin Port Trust has awarded the contract for dredging the maintenance channel for the year 2007-08 to Kandla-based Jaisu Shipping Company Pvt Ltd.

The Board of Trustees of the port has approved the proposal to award the work at the tendered lump sum amount of Rs 44 crore. The maintenance in the channel will involve dredging and removal of about 4 million cubic metres of silt.

It is pointed out that the port has to carry out maintenance dredging every year in order to maintain the required draught in the channel for the smooth movement of vessels. The discharge of silt and sediments from various rivers flowing to the Arabian Sea is a recurrent phenomenon and this gets accumulated in the channel, hindering the movement of vessels to and from the port.

Capital dredging

Meanwhile, the preparatory work for the second stage of capital dredging for deepening and widening channels and dredging for International Container Transhipment Terminal basin to provide a draught of 14.5 metres is in progress.

The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, has submitted a draft technical report on mathematical model studies for ship manoeuvrings to optimise the approach channel dimensions in the port. They have also submitted a draft report for identification of offshore dumping grounds for disposal of dredged material involved in development of the port.

Eco study

CWPRS has been engaged by the port as part of undertaking a comprehensive environment impact study prior to further deepening the channel on account of various developmental projects like SBM, bunkering terminal etc. Besides, there is also a need to construct a breakwater in the port’s harbour for the LNG terminal alone. Considering all these activities, the port is concerned about the ecological impact of the region before commencing the new projects.

CWPRS had carried out the study on the siltation pattern in the channel as well as the environmental degradation created by dumped dredging materials in the port surroundings, the port officials said.

IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd, Mumbai, which has been appointed for study and revalidation of the detailed project report for capital dredging and financial restructuring of the project, has also submitted its report to the port authorities. Based on this, the DPR for the second stage of capital dredging will be modified and submitted to the Ministry for sanction shortly, the port officials said.