New Mangalore Port Trust to construct 4 berths

Bangalore, July 21: New Mangalore Port Trust, Karnataka's only major port will soon construct four multi-purpose berths to ease rapidly increasing traffic. NMPT Chairman P Tamilvanan said today.

Speaking to newmen here before participating in a trade meet organised to interact with exporters and importers of various commodities and container main line operators, he said the new berths were being constructed in anticipation of bulk traffic of iron ore to enable vessels with one lakh ton capacity could use the facility.

He said in addition to creation of new berths, involving an amount of Rs 50 crore each in next 18 months to 24 months per berth, the NMPT was also converting the existing virtual jetty to another berths exclusively to handle oil mainly by Mangalore Refineries Products Limited. NMPT was awaiting report from a consultative agency with reqard to new berths and the issue would be finalised by the centre by March next, he added.

On traffic at the NMPT, he recalled that four years ago Kuderamukh Iron Ore Limited had exported six million tons iron ore.

Soon after the closure the NMPT cosidered the request made by KIOCL and save 12 acres of land for laying four railway lines.

Subsequently KIOCL was now getting iron ore from Bellary and was able to export six lakh tons during last year. KIOCL business was likely to cross two million tons ultimately, he hoped.

He said the NMPT had handled 32 million tons and 1045 vessels during 2006-07 and the container traffic had registered a growth of of 79.25 per cent. The frequency of container vessels calling at the port increased to a vessel per week and the growth during the first quarter had already crossed 24 per cent, he revealed.

Replying to queries Mr Tamilvanan said with the network from Mangalore to the hinterland of the state after commissioning of Mangalore-Hassan railwasy line, the port was well linked to major industrial cities. The traffic, three years ago, was just five lakh tons and had increased now to over 13 lakh tons, he pointed out. He said under the National Maritime Development Programme, the government would be spending Rs 6400 crore during next six years for development of port. Some of the future developmental activities, among others included, bunkering facilities, coal handling facilities, development of a port based Special Economic Zone and deepening of harbour.

He said the number of cruise vessels calling at the port had also increased considerably. Eighteen vessels had arrived at the port during last year as against three the previous year. NMPT would be spending Rs two crore for constructing a cruise terminal and other infrastructural facilities such as information centre during next month, he added.

He denied threat to marine resources following capsize of a foreign vessel near Thaneerbhavi on June 23 and said experts of a salvage team from Netherlands were awaiting improvement in weather condition. After a good weather condition prevailed, they would first remove 150 tons of oil from the sunken ship, he added saying that there was no threat whatsoever in this regard.

UNI