The foundation stone for a ro-ro jetty at the Kochi port was laid on Saturday by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of Shantanu Thakur, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The new ro-ro facility, under the Centre’s Sagarmala scheme, will be developed between Q1 berth and South Coal Berth on the Mattancherry channel at Kochi port. A 615-sq.m jetty will be built, while roads leading to the jetty will be strengthened. It will promote affordable coastal movement of cargo using ro-ro vessels, helping decongest roads and thus lessen accidents, while also promoting an eco-friendly and cost-effective mode of transportation.
The ₹11.06-crore project funded by the Centre is scheduled to be completed in nine months. It will have potential to attract vessels from/to the industrial belts of central and southern Gujarat — Hazira, Surat, Bharuch, Ankleshwar, Vapi, Valsad, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad. They can also call at Mumbai and Mangalore en-route. The jetty will be capable of taking a loaded vehicle weight of 36 tonnes. Ro-ro vessels having 9.14 metre draft can be berthed here. There is also potential for waterway movement of end-of-life vehicles to registered vehicle scrapping facilities.
Cochin Port Authority Chairperson M. Beena was present.
The event also saw the unveiling of the new logo of the Cochin Port Authority. Cochin Port Trust was renamed as Cochin Port Authority, under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021.
Kochi’s maritime heritage predates the modern world and is etched in the annals of world history. Cochin Port opened the inner harbour in 1928 and was declared a major port in 1936. It was the first port in the country to handle containers and the first to offer a transshipment terminal in India. Being the maritime gateway to peninsular India, the port is also popular as a bunkering destination for international ships.
The new logo is a faithful representation of the rich history of Kochi’s core values and open approach. One half represents the iconic Chinese fishing that is unique to Kochi, or that of a sail, celebrating the heritage of this great port. The other half is a sharp geometric form that connotes a vessel or a cargo container.
