Kolkata Port Trust draws up Nayachar island for future survival strategy

Faces threat from two new ports; will cut a channel across Nayachar to feed water to Haldia port

Faced with stiff competition on the eastern shores once two ports — Subarnarekha and Tajpur — are commissioned, the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), which operates the ports in Kolkata and Haldia, is heavily banking on its Naychar island plan for survival.
 
Although Kolkata and Haldia ports handle major cargo movements, which feed the eastern hinterland, these riverine ports face the perennial problem of siltation, which narrows their draft (the distance between the water surface and the bottom of the ship’s hull). Not only does it imply huge dredging costs, it results in preventing larger ships from accessing these ports.

 
Under the plan KoPT has come up with, it will cut a channel across the Nayachar island — located in the Hooghly river’s mouth before it enters the Bay of Bengal — to divert water to Haldia port and help in raising the draft from the existing 7.6 metres to 9 metres at least and that will allow movements of larger ships carrying up to 25,000 tonnes of cargo.
 

KoPT Chairman MT Krishna Babu now fears that since Subarnarekha port has a 12.5-metre draft, large cargo ships can easily manoeuvre in its waters and the ships unloading cargo in Haldia will prefer Subarnarekha port.

 
“The Nayachar island project crucial to the survival of Haldia port,” he said.
 
“Given the hinterland advantage, ships will prefer to unload cargo in Haldia but we need to increase the draft,” Babu said.
 
While cargo handling at Vizag port, on the eastern coast, crossed 60 million tonnes (mt) in the last fiscal year, Haldia port handled 34.14 mt of cargo in the same period.
 
The Nayachar island divides the river into two parts. Ships bound for Kolkata port can use the eastern bank, named Rangaphala, while those going to Haldia port can be on the west bank, which is named Balari. However, regular dredging is needed to maintain adequate draft in the Balari channel, and it will cost around Rs 400 crore annually.  In recent years, the KoPT authorities noticed that the water flow along Rangaphala is optimal and this route can be used by Haldia-bound vessels if a channel is made.

 
The KoPT has estimated that this project’s cost will be Rs 3,300 crore and has asked the Centre for funds.
 
“We had submitted a report to the Centre and they wanted some clarifications. We reverted with the final report and the response is awaited,” Babu said.
 
Adani group-controlled Dhamra port in Odisha, India’s deepest port with an 18-metre draft, is also a threat to the survival of Haldia port.
 
“As they (Dhamra port) improve efficiency, our cargo handling may come under stress,”, the KoPT chairman said.  Babu also emphasised improving the operational efficiency at Kolkata port.

 
This is not the first time the KoPT has come up with a survival plan.
 
Earlier, after considering the siltation in its riverine ports, it came up with the Sagar island proposal, which the Centre cleared. However, after the West Bengal government came up with the Tajpur port plan, the Sagar Island project was dumped.

Combating competition

• KoPT will cut a channel across the Nayachar Island  to divert water to Haldia port and help in raising the draft from the existing 7.6 metres to 9 metres
• While cargo handling at Vizag port, on the eastern coast, crossed 60 million tonnes (mt) in the last fiscal year, Haldia port handled 34.14 mt of cargo in the same period
• The KoPT has estimated this project’s cost will be Rs 3,300 crore and has asked the Centre for funds