Kolkata Port, the only riverine port in India, has set a target of handling 60 million tonne of traffic in 2007-08. In 2006-07, the port handled 55.05 million tonne of traffic and ranked second after Visakhapatnam in respect of traffic handling.
The port is also aiming at a revenue of Rs 1,400 crore in the financial year 2007-08 against Rs 1,249.64 crore in the financial year 2006-07.
To enable higher traffic handling, the port constrained by the draft problem compared to other sea ports of the country, needs to set up cargo handling facilities in deep drafted areas southward to meet the demands of changing shipping trends, Kolkata Port Trust (KPT) chairman A K Chanda said.
During the 11th five year plan period, KPT has undertaken an investment plan of Rs 968.67 crore for setting up infrastructure and taking up river regulatory works.
KPT has planned to construct three multipurpose cargo handling jetties at Diamond Harbour at an estimated cost of Rs 360 crore on public-private-partnership (PPP) basis. KPT requires 385 acres of land for the project. Out of this 70 acres is vested with Shipping and Defence Ministry.
The port has also formed a working group with Orissa government to undertake work of a dry bulk cargo transloading facility at Konika Sand. A similar facility is planned at Sandheads.
Apart from this, the port is procuring cargo and container handling equipment. It is also constructing 2 berths and 2 riverine jetties in the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC).
The port could not achieve the numero uno position in respect of traffic handling in the financial year 2006-07 because of lack of capacity in HDC and depth of draft in its existing cargo handling locations at Kidderpore, Budge Budge and Haldia.
All along the 232 km long navigational channel of the port the draft varies from 7 metres at Kolkata Dock System (KDS) to an average of 8.5 metres at HDC.
The draft size increases significantly with southward movement to Diamond Harbour, Saugor and Sandheads, which is gifted with a draft of 50 metres. The Centre will shortly appoint a consultant to look into the feasibility of a deep sea port near the Saugor sandheads.
With the changing scenario in the maritime technology, both in terms of size and structural pattern, the expansion of the port will depend on the depth of draft, Chanda said.
The port is also aiming at a revenue of Rs 1,400 crore in the financial year 2007-08 against Rs 1,249.64 crore in the financial year 2006-07.
To enable higher traffic handling, the port constrained by the draft problem compared to other sea ports of the country, needs to set up cargo handling facilities in deep drafted areas southward to meet the demands of changing shipping trends, Kolkata Port Trust (KPT) chairman A K Chanda said.
During the 11th five year plan period, KPT has undertaken an investment plan of Rs 968.67 crore for setting up infrastructure and taking up river regulatory works.
KPT has planned to construct three multipurpose cargo handling jetties at Diamond Harbour at an estimated cost of Rs 360 crore on public-private-partnership (PPP) basis. KPT requires 385 acres of land for the project. Out of this 70 acres is vested with Shipping and Defence Ministry.
The port has also formed a working group with Orissa government to undertake work of a dry bulk cargo transloading facility at Konika Sand. A similar facility is planned at Sandheads.
Apart from this, the port is procuring cargo and container handling equipment. It is also constructing 2 berths and 2 riverine jetties in the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC).
The port could not achieve the numero uno position in respect of traffic handling in the financial year 2006-07 because of lack of capacity in HDC and depth of draft in its existing cargo handling locations at Kidderpore, Budge Budge and Haldia.
All along the 232 km long navigational channel of the port the draft varies from 7 metres at Kolkata Dock System (KDS) to an average of 8.5 metres at HDC.
The draft size increases significantly with southward movement to Diamond Harbour, Saugor and Sandheads, which is gifted with a draft of 50 metres. The Centre will shortly appoint a consultant to look into the feasibility of a deep sea port near the Saugor sandheads.
With the changing scenario in the maritime technology, both in terms of size and structural pattern, the expansion of the port will depend on the depth of draft, Chanda said.