The Hindu Business Line : Roll-on roll-off short sea service ideal for West coast: Expert

IMAGINE a situation where the members of a family driving in their car to the under deck of the ship from New Mangalore port and relaxing in the cabin or dormitories provided on the upper decks. If this comes true, the family members could drive out in Mumbai 19 hours after their boarding in Mangalore.

This is just an example how one could use roll-on roll-off short sea service if implemented in the West coast of the nation.

Dr Jose Paul, former Chairman of Mormugao Port Trust, who presented a paper on "Roll-on roll-off short sea service: An efficient mode of transportation on the west coast of India" at the national workshop on `Coastal shipping and road transport system: Integration and quality improvement' at Manipal in Udupi district on Sunday, feels that this mode of transport will help develop "motorways of the sea" as an internodal initiative and alternative to road transport.

Though Konkan Railways experimented the integration of road and rail systems with a roll-on roll-off system by which loaded trucks are placed on trains where road conditions are treacherous, this system of transportation did not become popular because of the limitation of space in the rail wagons and restricted routes where these services are available.

However, Dr Paul says that the integration of road transport with water transport brings out the speed and flexibility of the door-to-door delivery of the road transport system coupled with the environment friendly and water efficient water transport system.

He feels that the major seaports situated along the West coast of India and the busy passenger and freight traffic on the national highways between Kochi and Mumbai provide an ideal setting for establishing a short sea roll-on roll-off passenger-cum-freight service.

According to Dr Paul, the sector covering the major ports such as Kochi, New Mangalore, Mormugao and Mumbai will be the attractive section for the introduction of this service.

Stating that these ports have been providing berthing facilities for coastal shipping and passenger traffic for a long time in the past, he says that designated areas have to be earmarked for berthing of roll-on roll-off ships and parking of vehicles and passengers.

He suggests that the Union Government direct the port trusts of Kochi, New Mangalore, Mormugao, and JN Port in Mumbai to create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with a mandate to the private sector to operate this new transport service.

Dr Paul says that acquisition of ship and other support infrastructure could be in place with an investment of Rs 350 crore. While the public sector could take one third of the investment capital, private sector would have to borne two third of it. An experienced roll-on roll-off service agency could become the operator, and the management control could be exercised by the private sector, he says.

His paper suggests that the Shipping Ministry integrate this roll-on roll-off short sea service under the "Golden Sea Chain" (Sagarmala) project.

These port trusts of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra should be directed to provide the necessary support infrastructure for reception facilities and for passenger and freight traffic, including the level of financial participation in the proposed SPV.

After this, the Indian Ports Association could be pressed into service for a global invitation for expression of interest by the short sea ferry service operators to form an SPV with the Indian major ports concerned, he adds.

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