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Our Bureau

Kochi, Nov. 23 As Kochi Port is all set to receive the world’s fastest racing yachts, State Bank of India and Indian Oil Corporation have joined the Volvo Ocean Race India stopover team as official banker and partner respectively.

The race yachts, which are traversing through a turbulent sea route from Cape Town, are 2,700 miles away from Kochi now. The advance teams of Volvo and the race teams have started arriving in Kochi and are busy setting up their technical bases and corporate pavilions in the Race Village in Willingdon Island.

The Race Village will be inaugurated by Mr P.K. Gurudasan, State Minister for Excise and Labour, on November 30. This will be followed by the visit of the Union Minister for Shipping, Mr T.R Baalu, on December 1, who will dedicate the BTP Berth extension (the berthing place for race yachts) to the nation.

The Ocean Race Trade Fest, the mega exhibition at the Race Village, will be inaugurated on December 2.

The Port Chairman, Mr N. Ramachandran, said that the race yachts are expected to reach Kochi by December 3 and a gala welcome ceremony will be held in the evening on that day. Mr Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, will be the Chief Guest and Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the State Minister for Home Affairs and Tourism, will be the guest of honour at the arrival ceremony.

The Race will be flagged off at a colourful ceremony by Ms Ambika Soni, the Union Minister for Tourism, along with Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The Port Chairman clarified that there would not be any disruption for the normal operations of the port during the event as the race programmes will be confined to the areas close to BTP jetty only. There will not be any disruption in the movements of ships and boats except for two hours on December 13.

More Stories on : Shipping/Ports | Tourism | Public Sector Banks | Petroleum | State Bank of India | Kerala

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