Falcon to open India's first pvt integrated CFS
Kochi,
Nov
13:
Kerala-based
Falcon
Group
will
operationalise
India's
first
private
integrated
Container
Freight
Station
(CFS)
at
Eloor
near
here
and
plans
to
open
similar
facilities
in
Mangalore,
Tuticorin,
Chennai,
Coimbatore
and
Vizhinjam
in
the
next
three
years.
Talking to mediapersons here today, Company Managing Director N A Mohammed Kutty said the Rs 30-crore CFS would have all the modern facilities for stuffing and de-stuffing, stacking containers and cargo and in-house customs clearance.
The ancillary services, include computerised documentation with EDI facility, high-level security, fumigation, reefing container plug-in and pre-trip inspection facilities.
The CFS, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on November 16, was set up against the backdrop of this city's emergence as a major international maritime hub with work on the ambitious Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal gaining momentum, Mr Mohammed said.
The capacity of the CFS would be increased from the present 1,200 TUEs to 3,600 TUEs per month in the next six months.
He said the Company would go for a public issue next year to raise Rs 500 crore to fund its Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) project at Kalamassery near here.
''The FTWZ with a proposed investment of Rs 500 crore will be set up in 250 acre of land and completed in the next five years,'' he said.
Fortknox Ventures, an associate company, was planning to establish tourism-based special economic zone compirising farm tourism, floriculture, golf course, indoor stadium, hotels, horticulture, agriculture and ethnic village near Nedumbassery International Airport.
Falcon Group, formed in 2000, had a shareholder base of over 235 NRIs with renowed cine actor Mohanlal as its Chairman.
UNI