Kerala to announce Logistics Parks Policy in 2 weeks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala will develop a Logistics Parks Policy in a fortnight, adding to the benefits the State is all set to derive from the Centre’s plan to set up a couple of maritime clusters along its western coast, Minister for Industries P Rajeeve has said.

The policy will help boost Kerala’s pioneering cluster coming up in Alappuzha, and it is in tune with the State’s new industrial policy (2023) which has the promotion of community-based networks as its core, he said at a ‘Maritime and Logistics Roundtable 2024’.

Maritime cluster in Cherthala

“As technology holds a prominent slot in our new Industrial Policy, the maritime cluster in Cherthala will get further incentives,” he said at the event organised by Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) under the aegis of the Department of Industries and Commerce.

The 15-acre Cherthala cluster, where work has been on for six months as an accumulation of industries linked to shipping and allied activities, is scheduled to be fully functional in next summer.

The Minister recalled that the draft logistics policy, released in March this year, proposes investment subsidy of up to ₹7 crore for logistics parks in the State. “We have been getting encouraging responses from the stakeholders. The policy will be announced in two weeks,” he added.

Madhu S Nair, CMD, Cochin Shipyard, said the yard will achieve the capacity to handle 250 mid-size ships a year, as a third dry dock is set to function from this month-end. With the yard slated for inauguration on September 26, the dock can lift vessels weighing up to 6,000 tonnes.