Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 28 January 2023
Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata has called for an Expression of Interest for the Development, Operation and Maintenance of Phase-I of the International Container Transhipment Port At Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar.
The due date for the EoI is 7th March 2023. The EoI document states that the Environmental Clearance for the four projects to be developed in Great Nicobar viz. Port, Airport, Township & Power Plant has been accorded.
The EoI states that SMPK in association with ANIIDCO proposes to develop the port preferably via Landlord mode wherein the common/basic infrastructure may be developed by the “Authority” & the Concessionaire shall be responsible for the design, Construction / Procurement, finance, operation & maintenance of proposed Container Handling Equipment, Container Yard, Onshore Utilities etc. required for Phase-I development of the ICTP, under a long-term concession through SMPK.
The EoI also states that a Green Field Airport (4000 Peak Hour Passengers-PHP) will be developed simultaneously with the Port.
The first phase of the project would be developed to handle traffic of 4 MTEUs in the year 2028, in the ultimate stage of development the port will be able to handle 16 MTEUs by the year 2058.
In the first phase of development, the following key port facilities are proposed in the EoI:
1. Two Breakwaters of about 3Km length.
2. A navigational channel of 400m wide and a turning circle of 800 m diameter.
3. About 125 Ha of Reclaimed Land for development of container yard and
4. other allied infrastructure facilities like terminal buildings, workshops etc.
5. Total container berth length of about 2.3 km
6. RMQCs on berths, RTGs in container yard and other container handling equipment.
7. Onshore utilities like Water supply, fire-fighting system, drainage, sewerage system, Power Supply and distribution system, IT infrastructure etc.
There is also a provision to develop two liquid cargo berths to support bunkering operations, Ship repair facilities, FTWZ etc.
The overall estimated capital cost for the Phase-I development of the proposed transhipment port is estimated to be around INR 18,000 crores which includes the construction of breakwaters, dredging, reclamation, berths, storage areas, building and utilities, procurement and installation of equipment and development of the port colony.