Last updated on July 13th, 2023 at 05:28 pm
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways are working towards the development of a Mega International Container Transhipment Port (ICTP) at Galathea Bay on Great Nicobar Island as part of the Government’s Island Development program. Other projects include the Airport, the Township, and the Power Plant.
The Holistic Development of Islands aims to improve economic opportunity by bridging the gaps in infrastructure and increasing the size of all types of vessels, from feeders to large inter-continental carriers. The proposed infrastructure facilities shall be such that the service levels and facilities match with that of the global top container transshipment terminals and neighboring ports.
Other allied businesses such as starching, sizing, spinning, and weaving also began to collapse. This Transhipment Port is also planned for ship chandlery-ship supplies, ship repair, crew change facility, logistics value-added services, warehousing, and bunkering. This project has the potential to create 1700-4000 direct jobs by the end.
There are three key drivers that focus on making the container transshipment port a leading location. The location is strategic in terms of proximity (40 nautical miles) to the International shipping trade route, availability of natural water depth of over 20m, and carrying capacity of Transshipment of cargo from all surrounding ports including Indian ports.
The proposed facility is envisaged to be developed in four phases with a total estimated cost of ~ Rs 41,000 crore. Phase 1 is proposed to be commissioned in the year 2028 with a handling capacity of ~4 million TEU, rising up to 16 million TEU in the final phase of development.
The proposed transshipment port’s estimated cost for Phase 1 is around Rs 18,000 crore and includes the construction of a breakwater, dredging, reclamation, berths, storage areas, buildings and utilities, procurement and installation of equipment, and development of a port colony with core infrastructure. The government is assisting with its development.
Landlord mode will encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) for this project. Subject to the Minimum Guaranteed Traffic, the PPP Concessionaire shall have the flexibility to develop a storage area, container handling equipment, and other infrastructure based on the concessionaire’s own market and business assessment.
The Concessionaire shall be responsible for the provision(s) of port services and shall have the rights to levy, collect, and retain charges from port users for a long-term PPP concession of 30 to 50 years, based on the requirement.
