The Hindu Business Line : New Mangalore Port seeks dry dock facility

NEW Mangalore Port, which has made remarkable achievements in cargo handling, plans to establish a dry dock facility to offer repair services for ocean-going vessels and other craft.

The Indian Ports' Association has submitted a feasibility report to port authorities.

Among the five sites chosen, the one close to Mazagaon Dockyard Ltd within the port premises has been favoured as it has a float repair berth on the northern waterfront.

The New Mangalore Port Trust plans to take up the Rs 125-crore dry dock project in the proposed coastal special economic zone with private sector participation.

Sources in the port say the proposed facility can repair 33 ships in a year. They hope to fill 75 per cent of the capacity in the first year, as currently there is no modern ship repair facility near New Mangalore Port.

At present, all vessels go to either Kochi or Goa for repairs. Besides saving transit time for these vessels, the dry dock at Mangalore port, which is close to the international sea route, will also attract foreign vessels for repairs.

The increase in the number of vessels calling at the port and the proposed development projects in the coastal region are the other factors in favour of the proposed dry dock facility.

The port has recorded a 20 per cent growth in the number of vessels handled — 1,057 vessels during 2004-05 as against 876 during 2003-04.

The proposed thermal power projects in the coastal region and an LNG terminal at the port premises, and the capacity expansion plans of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd are likely to attract more cargo to the port.

Offshore vessels, oilrigs, and fishing and port crafts can be repaired at the dry dock, apart from Naval and Coast Guard ships. However, Naval ships will more likely head for the Naval base — INS Kadamba — at Karwar, about 300 km from Mangalore.

The feasibility report recommends reasonable rental rates comparable to prevailing charges at Cochin Shipyard Ltd and in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, China and Sri Lanka.

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

Stories in this Section
Etihad Airways: Promoting Abu Dhabi as a strategic cargo hub

Emirates Skycargo to launch dedicated freight services

Jet Air appoints law firm to file charges against US entity

Airbus, Boeing ready for battle at Paris

Weighing tonnage tax, one year later — Boost to fleet growth, but more needs to be done

Port sector in need of more autonomy

New Mangalore Port seeks dry dock facility

Collapse in ocean freight rates

Kerala: Transport workers' strike put off