Proposal to woo investors for minor ports

KOCHI: The government is working on a proposal to woo private investors for the development of minor ports in the state, aiming at optimum utilisation of its geographical advantage. The proposal will be presented at ‘Emerging Kerala, the Global Investors’ Meet’ to be held in April, 2012. “The minor ports in the state need to be developed to be able to handle more volume of cargo. The government is preparing a proposal to attract private investors for the development of minor ports in the Kerala coastline. It will be presented at the Global Investors Meet in 2012,”  Ports Minister K Babu said.“Though basic infrastructure such as breakwater and godowns are  provided in some of the ports, no significant investments were made to construct berths, linkages, and dredging. Consequently, these ports have remained underdeveloped, unable to support neither medium nor small-sized vessels,” he said.“The proposal is a part of the Coastal Shipping Project formulated by the state. The development of ports will reduce transportation of cargo through roads to a great extent. Besides, it will be advantageous to tourism industry too. The government will appoint a consultant soon to prepare the project and the mode of implementation will be decided after that,” a top official with the Ports Department said.Vizhinjam, Beypore, Azheekal, Kollam and Kodungalloor ports will be included in the first phase of this project. Logistics of cargo can be made easy and cost-effective, considering the state’s rail connectivity, he added.  Kerala has a coastline of around 590 km. Apart from the Cochin port, which is under the Union Government, there are three intermediate and 14 minor ports in Kerala. They are Neendakara, Alappuzha, Kozhikode (intermediate ports) and Vizhinjam, Valiyathura, Thankasserry, Kayamkulam, Manakkodam, Munambam, Ponnani, Beypore, Vadakara, Thalasserry, Manjeswaram, Neeleswaram, Kannur, Azhikkal and Kasaragod (Minor Ports).