Revamp of Kochi port stalled

Cochin Port Trust’s propo­sed projects have been facing clearance issues from the Navy with respect to the height of the proposed installations in the flying funnel area in Willingdon Island. Cochin Port is building the ICTT at Vallarpadam and LNG terminal. Its bulk cargo handling facilities at the existing port remains inadequate. The port was therefore looking at various options to improve its cargo profile after the container terminal operations shift to Vallarpadam by February. The only way out was to modernise and streamline the bulk handling facilities to attract more bulk vessels, and electrify the existing railway lines to provide an effective means of cargo evacuation. The existing container berths at Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal have deep draft and railway sidings, which are ideally suited to handling bulk cargo. The port wants to equip the bulk berths with modern cargo handling equipment and haulage infrastructure and this does not seem possible for want of permission from the Navy.