Vijaykumar laid foundation stone for Modern Firefighting System at HDC

KOLKATA : In a significant step towards strengthening port safety and emergency preparedness, Shri Vijay Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPS&W), laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Firefighting System at the Haldia Dock Complex(HDC) of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPort_Kolkata) on Monday.

The foundation stone ceremony was attended by Shri Rathendra Raman, Chairperson, SMPA, and Shri Samrat Rahi, Deputy Chairperson, SMPA, along with senior officials of the port. The project marks a major advancement in enhancing port security through modern, technology-driven infrastructure.

The upcoming firefighting system is designed to significantly improve emergency response capabilities, ensuring faster detection, efficient fire suppression, and enhanced safety for port assets, personnel, and cargo operations. Once operational, it will align Haldia Dock Complex with global best practices in port safety and disaster management.

During his visit, Shri Vijay Kumar, IAS, reviewed bulk cargo handling operations and inspected various ongoing and planned development projects at the Haldia Dock Complex. He appreciated the port’s efforts towards capacity expansion, operational efficiency, and adoption of advanced systems to support India’s growing maritime trade.

The visit provided an opportunity for detailed discussions on infrastructure modernization, safety enhancement measures, and future growth initiatives. The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson briefed the Secretary on key projects aimed at improving productivity, sustainability, and overall competitiveness of SMPort_Kolkata.

This initiative reinforces SMPort_Kolkata’s commitment to building a safe, resilient, and future-ready port ecosystem, supporting national logistics objectives and the Government of India’s vision for world-class port infrastructure.