The Hindu Business Line : P.K. Ruia plans Rs 1,000-cr dry dock, SEZ in Bengal

Mr P.K. Ruia, who controls Jessop and Dunlop, is planning to set up a Rs 1,000-crore ship-building and repairing facility coupled with a sector specific special economic zone (SEZ) near Haldia port in West Bengal.

According to sources, the company had recently approached the State Government with a proposal to allocate over 1,500 acres of unused industrial land, which is currently under the possession of a public sector unit, for the purpose.

The port authorities had previously allocated a large chunk of land to the PSU for setting up an industrial unit, which had lately turned sick and is currently under BIFR.

Mr Ruia told newspersons here on Thursday, "we have decided to put up a dry dock with ship-building and ship-repairing facility in West Bengal. We may also set up a sector specific SEZ in the location in due course and have already requested the State Government for allocation of 1,500 acres of land." He, however, did not disclose the location and other details of the project.

Technical help

On technical assistance, he said that Jessop & Co had entered into collaboration agreements with Tekhom of Ukraine for ship-building and repairing and Antarakoh of Singapore for construction of jetties.

The agreements were struck in 2004 aiming at acquisition of dry docking facility.

The company had explored lease opportunities in Kolkata Port Trust and acquisition of a privately held dry dock in Chennai port. None of the attempts were successful for various reasons.

"We may rope in some more technical partners for the proposed greenfield venture," Mr Ruia said, adding that a Singapore-based consultant is currently conducting a pre-feasibility study of the project.

Asked whether the proposed project would be taken up through Jessop, he said that the group was yet to decide on the issue.

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