Date:08/11/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/11/08/stories/2005110802360700.htm

Back Kandla to develop satellite port at Tuna

Gaurav Raghuvanshi

Kandla , Nov. 7

KANDLA Port will develop a satellite port at Tuna to augment its capacity. As a first step, an existing jetty at Tuna is being upgraded and back-up storage area will be developed for storage of cargo.

"Tuna port has been in existence even before Kandla came up. The existing jetty is being used for handling smaller craft as of now. The satellite port at Tuna will be developed to augment capacity," according to the Kandla Port Chairman, Mr A. Janardhana Rao.

The Minister for Shipping and Road Transport, Mr T.R. Baalu, announced on Monday that the facilities at the Tuna jetty will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 4.87 crore. These include back-up area for cargo storage, custom fencing wall and road network.

The presence of a sand bar at the mouth of the Kandla creek limits the draught to 11.5 metres, and that too during high tide. The satellite port will offer better draught.

The total cost of developing the satellite port will be about Rs 425 crore and form part of the Rs 3,800-crore investment envisaged in the next 10 years to augment the capacity of Kandla Port.

. The Kandla Port, which recently placed an order for three 25-tonne cranes, will spend Rs 100 crore to get 11 large capacity wharf cranes, Mr Baalu said.

The Minister also formally announced that Kandla Port has now achieved a draught of 11.7 metre as part of its efforts to increase draught to 13 metre in the next two years.

Earlier this year, Kandla had awarded a Rs 100-crore contract to Jaisu Shipping for deepening the channel and increasing the depth at the bar by 1.3 metre, along with carrying out maintenance dredging. The dredging work had started in September this year.