McKinsey to prepare feasibility report for Sagar island port

The Union shipping ministry has appointed McKinsey to prepare a techno-economic feasibility report on the proposed Sagar island port project in West Bengal.

"For the new port project, we have appointed McKinsey to undertake the techno-economic feasibility report. The report is likely to be submitted by December this year," said a senior shipping ministry official.

According to preliminary estimates, the cost of the project would be around Rs 12,000 crore. The project is likely to be developed under the public private partnership (PPP) mode.

The island is 30 km in length and 10 km in width. According to officials, it has the potential to handle about 64 million tonnes of cargo comprising liquid and dry bulk commodities as also containers. The commodities identified are dry bulk commodities like coking coal, thermal coal, coke, iron ore, etc., and also containers.

Presently, the draft available at Sagar island is around 10 metres without dredging, which is more than that at Kolkata and Haldia. Through capital dredging, the draft can be enhanced up to 12 metres. According to sources, due to availability of a deeper draft location, midstream lighter age operation of ships is being carried out at Sagar anchorage, close to the Sagar Island, for the last 40 years.

The port facilities at Sagar Island, Kolkata and Haldia will function as an integrated river-port system and aggregation and evacuation of cargo will be done through river, road and rail.

For Sagar Island port connectivity through rail and road, the Union government is preparing a detailed project report (DPR). It has proposed to have an immersed tunnel or an elevated rail-road link which will connect Kakdwip and Sagar Island through the Muri Ganga river, stretched over 3.5 km. The proposed connectivity will ensure hassle free movement of cargo through rail and road.