Centre plans to upgrade ship repairing facilities at 7 ports

The Central government has identified ship repairing facilities of seven ports for upgradation into modern units in collaboration with the Cochin Shipyard, a top official said here.

"It has been decided at last week's meeting in Goa that seven ports, which have ship repair facilities that need to be upgraded, should enter into an understanding with Cochin Shipyard Ltd for developing them into a good ship repairing facility," Union Shipping Ministry Joint Secretary, Sagarmala Wing, Rabindra Kumar Agarwal said here.

He said the respective ports and Cochin Shipyard would decide the modalities of development.

Pandu (river port) in Assam, Mumbai, Goa, and Kandla are among the identified ports where redevelopment of repairing facilities would be done, Agarwal said on the sidelines of an event organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce.

The aim is to have enough such repairing facilities across states, he said, adding that if ships are taken to longer distances for repairing works, it entails additional costs.

"There are existing facilities with the ports but their utilisation came down over the years. Since there is space available, it will be easier for us to develop them," he added.

On connecting north eastern states, particularly Mizoram through Myanmar, Agarwal said that it was for this the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) in Myanmar was conceptualised. It was being administered by the Ministry of External Affairs with a view to facilitate connectivity between the mainland and the northeastern States of the country through maritime shipping, inland waterways and roads of Myanmar.

"The port project at Sittwe in Myanmar, which is being developed by India is almost completed," Agarwal said.

With the development of the route, ships coming from Haldia can go to Switte in Myanmar and from there, they can go to Paletwa (in Myanmar) through Kaladan river.

There will be road connectivity from Paletwa to Mizoram, he added.

--IANS

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