Emerging Kerala: Shipping projects to be showcased

Aimingto enhance cargo movement through waterways, the state government will presenta proposal at the ‘Emerging Kerala’ meet to woo investors to launch coastalshipping service.

“Coastal shipping projects will be anadvantage for the growth of International Container Transshipment Terminal, Vallarpadam.Foreign companies can launch services in our waters if they have an Indian partner.Limited foreign investment is allowed in this sector,” said Ports Minister KBabu.

The Kerala State Inland NavigationCorporation (KSINC) has already framed a project to launch services connectingVallarpadam to ports in Gujarat and Maharashtra and Kollam within three months.

According to the statistics availablewith the trading community, around six lakh tonnes of rubber is being transportedto other states from Kerala by road. This could be a major return cargo forcoastal vessels that bring goods from other states to Kerala. It will be furtherbeneficial for the cashew sector in Kollam as the expense incurred intransporting a container on the Kochi-Kollam sea route will be only 40 per centof what it currently costs by road.

The minister said that the government isalso presenting a proposal at ‘Emerging Kerala’ to attract investment todevelop minor ports in the state. Minor ports need to be developed to make themable to handle more volume of cargo.

“Though many of our ports have facilities such as breakwaters and godowns, nosignificant investment was made to construct berths and linkages and fordredging. Consequently, these ports have remained underdeveloped, unable tosupport neither medium nor small-sized vessels,” he said.