The Parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture will suggest the union shipping ministry to extend the proposed National Waterways No 3 beyond Kottapuram to the historic site of Muziris to benefit tourists.
This is part of a slew of recommendations that the committee plans to make to the ministry. The committee will also recommend the ministry for the creation of a Spice Route that will link Kerala with 31 other countries along the lines of the Silk Route that China has with Istanbul in Turkey.
Further, the committee headed by Sitaram Yechury would make suitable recommendation on promoting Vallarpadam terminal as the international container transshipment hub.
The Joint Forum of Trade Unions at Kochi Port had submitted a memorandum to the committee highlighting Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)Â’s attitude towards the Vallarpadam terminal.
SCIÂ’s mainline vessels are depending more on Colombo for transhipment rather than Vallarpadam as the former is closer to international shipping routes.
In 2012-13, SCI handled 340,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of Indian containers through Colombo.
Even though the Vallarpadam terminal has advantages of its own, it still needs the right concessions to attract transhipment cargo.
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