Centre notifies two port-based SEZs at Cochin Port

Kochi, Nov 4 (UNI) The Union Commerce and Industry Ministry has issued two separate notifactions this week, estblishing two port- based Special Economic Zones at Vallarpadam and Puthuvypeen within the Cochin Port Trust (CPT).

The notifications were issued on November two, a CPT release said here today. The Centre had issued similar notifications on December 29, 2005, also. However, it became necessary to re-issue these notifications after Parliament passed the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005.

The CPT said that the establishment of a Special Economic Zone at Vallarpadam is one of the pre-conditions for commencement of construction of the International Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam by the BOT operator India Gateway Terminal (Pvt.) Limited (DP World).

The Special Economic Zone at Vallarpadam has an area of 115.25 hectares and the one at Puthuvypeen will comprise 285.84 hecatres.

While the Cochin Port Trust will be the developer of these two SEZs, it has been decided to co-opt India Gateway Terminal Private Limited, BPCL-KRL and Petronet LNG Ltd as co-developers of the SEZs.

While the Vallarpadam SEZ will consist mainly of the Container Transshipment Terminal and related infrastructure, the Puthuvypeen SEZ will consist of the LNG Terminal, Single Buoy Mooring (SBM), Bunkering Terminal, Free Trade Warehousing and certain other processing/Re-packaging industries.

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