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A file photo of Paradip port. The port spends Rs 45 crore a year on maintenance dredging.

Our Bureau

Kolkata, Aug. 13 The maintenance dredging at Paradip port has been hit as two of the Dredging Corporation of India’s dredgers — Dredge VIII and Dredge IX — deployed for the job, have stopped working following breakdowns.

As a result, the required draft in the navigable channel is not becoming available causing concern to the ships calling at the port.

Dredge VIII arrived at the port on June 11 and Dredge IX on July 3, and both of them became idle after working for a few days. As a result, the maintenance dredging in the port has remained suspended for quite some time now. Worried port authorities have taken up the matter with DCI, not with much success though.

Paradip port spends about Rs 45 crore annually on maintenance dredging and DCI is entrusted with the job.

Meanwhile, the work on capital dredging at the port too, has started, though the progress of work, according to port sources, “is slow”. At this rate, the port authorities wonder, if the job, which started on June 15, can be completed within the stipulated 52 weeks.

DCI, which has been engaged also for undertaking capital dredging in the port, has deployed a cutter-suction dredger “CSD Aquarius” for the job.

The work, estimated to cost Rs 253.36 crore, pre-supposes 15 million cubic metres of dredging – 11.3 million cubic metres in outer channel and another 3.7 million cubic metres inside the dock, including turning basin.

On completion, the depth of the entrance channel is supposed to increase from the present 12.8 metres to 17.1 metres sufficient to handle Capesize vessels (125,000 dwt capacity).

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