The phase one development of the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at the Indian port of Kochi is expected to turn the gateway into a transshipment hub for the nation within one year, once it opens for business in November 2009.
The Vallarpadam transshipment terminal, which will be the first of its kind to operate in a special economic zone, aims to reduce India's dependency on foreign ports for transshipment, reports The Hindu newpaper's Business Line of Chennai.
Suresh Joseph, the general manager of DP World (Kochi) said construction of the box transshipment hub commenced in January. "So far we have completed 28 per cent of the work and by December, we expect to reach 45 per cent," he said. Proceeding at this pace, the first phase of development will be completed by November 2009.
The ICTT is being built on a site measuring 115 hectares. The design calls for three phases of development, with Phase IA being developed with 600 metres of quay to handle one million TEU annually.
Later, Phase IB will add a further 300 metres of quay and an extra half a million TEU in capacity. The second phase will have 900 metres of quay. Upon completion of the entire terminal, the total quay length will stretch 1,800 metres and have the capacity to handle 3 million TEU per annum.
Phase IA of the project will be supported by six super post-panamax cranes, 3,500 ground slots (including 450 reefer points), 15 eco-RTG cranes and five reach-stackers.
It will also have two rail sidings capable of handling 12 trains a day as well as five kilometres of road. Provisions have also been made to locate a security scanner to screen containers inside the terminal, the report said.
The Vallarpadam transshipment terminal, which will be the first of its kind to operate in a special economic zone, aims to reduce India's dependency on foreign ports for transshipment, reports The Hindu newpaper's Business Line of Chennai.
Suresh Joseph, the general manager of DP World (Kochi) said construction of the box transshipment hub commenced in January. "So far we have completed 28 per cent of the work and by December, we expect to reach 45 per cent," he said. Proceeding at this pace, the first phase of development will be completed by November 2009.
The ICTT is being built on a site measuring 115 hectares. The design calls for three phases of development, with Phase IA being developed with 600 metres of quay to handle one million TEU annually.
Later, Phase IB will add a further 300 metres of quay and an extra half a million TEU in capacity. The second phase will have 900 metres of quay. Upon completion of the entire terminal, the total quay length will stretch 1,800 metres and have the capacity to handle 3 million TEU per annum.
Phase IA of the project will be supported by six super post-panamax cranes, 3,500 ground slots (including 450 reefer points), 15 eco-RTG cranes and five reach-stackers.
It will also have two rail sidings capable of handling 12 trains a day as well as five kilometres of road. Provisions have also been made to locate a security scanner to screen containers inside the terminal, the report said.
