A coastal shipping project linking non-major ports along the coast of Kerala with the International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam in Kochi is under the consideration of the State government with a Mumbai-based shipping line evincing interest in pressing two ships for coastal shipping services.
The project is part of a plan to divert the transportation of a portion of the container cargo shipped from various parts of the State through the ICTT through water.
An incentive policy is under the consideration of the State government to promote coastal shipping, which is likely to shift around 20% to 30% of the container cargo movement through road to water. The company has expressed interest in the project following a study on the volume of containers shipped through the ICTT at Vallarpadam from the northern and southern parts of the State. It has communicated to the Kerala Maritime Board (KBM) that if at least 20-30% of the cargo transported to and from the ICTT can be shifted to water, the project to link non-major ports such as Vizhinjam, Kollam, Beypore, and Azhikkal can be made viable.
