VOC Port’s Outer Harbour development proposed to make it ‘Gateway Port’

THOOTHUKUDI : Currently, nearly 75% of India’s trans-shipped cargo is handled at ports outside India. Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang in Malaysia handle more than 85% of this cargo, with Colombo alone handling approximately 2.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Maritime India Vision (MIV)-2030 document suggests that a strong economic case, therefore, exists for enabling a trans-shipment hub in southern India that can attract Indian and regional trans-shipment traffic from the current hubs, save significant revenue loss, reduce logistics inefficiencies for Indian trade, reduce risks to the country’s export competitiveness and create an opportunity for India to become a large hub for Asia-Africa, Asia-US/Europe container traffic trade.

As per MIV-2030 report, availability of deep draft, proximity to maritime routes, hinterland connectivity and gateway cargo, positive economics of cargo logistics, productivity and reliability for port operations, ease of customs processes and taxation support and ancillary services are the factors that have been identified for a trans-shipment hub, which influence the routing decisions of mainliners. Except availability of deep draft and longer LOA, all the other factors are already available at VOC Port.

Further, MIV-2030 report has suggested additional Trans-shipment Hub in the Kanyakumari region under the auspices VOC Port, apart from the existing Trans-shipment Port at Cochin and upcoming Port at Vizhinjam. Further, as per the MIV-2030, the aim is to develop best-in-class port infrastructure, which includes draft enhancement in major ports, targeting minimum one berth with 16 to 16.2m draught availability and subsequently, 18m draught by 2030 to compete with international ports and to be able to handle mega size container vessels. The MIV-2030 objectives can be achieved only by the development of the proposed Outer Harbour Project.

“Considering the above, the development of ‘Outer Harbour Project’ has become imperative for positioning VOC Port as a ‘Gateway Port’ to cater to the Infrastructural requirements for ever-growing container traffic. This includes longer quay length and higher draught terminals and larger back up area, as well as to emerge as an alternative to the neighboring Transshipment Ports and to increase the capacity of the Port,” the Port authorities say.

The project is proposed to be executed in a stagewise manner and the major components of the project which shall be constructed by the BOT operator:

Stage I development

Construction of breakwater in the Northern and Southern side (5,635m length approximately).

Capital dredging alongside Container Terminal 1 (CT 1) and Outer Harbour basin to (-)16.9m and approach channel to (-)17.4m to handle 16m draught vessels (approximate dredging quantity – 9.73 Million CubicMeter).

Construction of CT 1 of 1,000m quay length. The design of berth civil structure needs to be done to handle vessels up to 21m draught of 22,000 TEU vessels.

Mechanisation of the CT 1 providing container handling equipment such as quay gantry cranes, RTGCs, reach stacker, tractor trailers, IT systems etc,.

Development of backup yard around 51 Ha behind the CT 1 out of which 35 Ha will be allotted to the Concessionaire for CT 1. The backup yard development includes construction of rubble bund (3,200m length approx) and reclaiming with dredged materials. Construction of buildings for administrative and operational area by the terminal operator. Pavement of back-up area for container yard by the terminal operator and the Operation and Maintenance thereof.

Installation of navigational buoys in the channel.

Any other works for successful completion and operation of the terminal to create capacity to handle container cargo of a minimum volume of 2 MTEUs.

State II development will also follow the same strategy followed in the first stage.

Stage III development

Capital dredging in the Turning circle basin to (-)18.9m and approach channel to (-)19.4m to handle 18m draught vessels in CT1 & CT 2 (approximate dredging quantity – 7.52 M.Cu.m)