Posted on July 10, 2024
The port and the shipping channel currently have a depth of 14.5m which restricts entry of large vessels into the port.
KOCHI: Aiming to attract a slice of transshipment business from Colombo Port and to compete with Vizhinjam deep sea port, the Cochin Port Authority (CPA) has chalked out plans to deepen the shipping channel to the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam.
The CPA has floated a tender inviting consultancy services to prepare a detailed project report, analysing the traffic potential and financial viability of deepening the channel to a depth of 16 m to accommodate large container vessels. The port and the shipping channel currently have a depth of 14.5m which restricts entry of large vessels into the port. Compared to ICTT, Vizhinjam port, which is expected to start operations in September, has a draft of 20m.
“The shipping industry has evolved over the years and mainline container ships have a capacity to carry 15,000 twenty foot equivalent units (TEU) to 21,000 TEUs. These ships require a draft of 16m to 18m. Therefore, higher draft is an important criteria to attract transshipment cargo. The Ministry of Ports has issued a directive to explore the possibility of increasing the draft,” said an official.
“The Cochin Port is exploring the possibility of receiving deep drafted transshipment cargo vessels at ICTT Vallarpadam in line with the expansion of ICTT (Phase-II). In this regard, Cochin Port proposes to prepare a detailed project report, analysing the traffic potential and financial viability of the project by providing channel deepening for accepting vessels up to 16m draft,” says the tender document.
The Vallarpadam terminal was commissioned in February, 2011 with a quay length of 600m and draft of 14.5m. The terminal operator shall construct an additional quay of 350m length and strengthen 50m length of the existing 600m long quay for receiving 16m draft vessels at their cost. The cost of incremental capital and maintenance dredging for deepening the 400m long basin for ICTT and the connecting port channel to 16m draft shall be borne by the Port Authority Dredging cost will be provided by the Port Authority to the consultant for examining the feasibility of the project, it said.
