Cochin hub port plan to be delayed

 The ambitious plan of developing a hub port at Cochin could be delayed further as the government plans to invite private sector participation only after beefing up the traffic at the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal (RGCT) to 500,000 million TEUs from 1,65,000 TEUs now. It has dumped the alternative option of building the Vallarpadam terminal through a joint venture route.

 The shipping ministry has, however, not approached the private parties yet with a concrete plan.