The Cochin Port, the second biggest port in Kerala after Thiruvananthapuram’s Vizhinjam International Seaport, will soon see a wave of development activities worth around Rs 10,000 crore, according to Malayala Manorama.
The entire port area in Kochi, from Cochin Port to Cochin Shipyard, is expected to benefit from these.
Rs 1,500 crore has been earmarked for the Vallarpadam Transhipment Terminal operated by DP World, to lift the container handling capacity. Despite Kerala already having a deeper draft seabed off the coast of Thiruvananthapuram that suits the mothership-friendly Vizhinjam Port, at least Rs 800 crore would reportedly be spent on increasing the depth of the draft at the Kochi port area to dock motherships at Vallarpadam.
For this, Cochin Port Authority has already inked a contract with the Dredging Corporation of India to effectively deepen the draft from the existing 14.5m to 16-16.5m, Malayala Manorama reported.
Another Rs 500 crore is expected to be used for setting up an LNG bunkering facility in association with BPCL. A public undertaking chemical fertiliser plant is also expected to be set up at Willingdon Island in Kochi, according to the report.
A 5.5-acre godown at Q9 berth is expected to come up at an earmarked cost of Rs 370 crore, along with new ship-offloader cranes. Q4 berth is set to get a 3.5-acre 2,000-tonne ammonia tank at another Rs 350 crore.
Along with Essar, the port authority is also planning a Rs 350-crore bulk liquid terminal.
Another Rs 300 crore is said to be earmarked for developing cruise tourism at Willingdon Island with Greenix Experiences.
Q5 terminal is expected to get a petrochemical container tank farm with 50,000 kilolitre capacity at Rs 125 crore.
These investments, along with the 3,800 crore ship block building unit by Cochin Shipyard and the Rs 1,500 crore Willingdon Island international ship repair facility development, are expected to lift the maritime sector in the region.
