KoPT awaits decision on jurisdiction of transloading at Kanika

The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) Friday said it is awaiting a final decision of the union shipping ministry on the jurisdiction of the proposed transloading operations at Kanika Sands, a cluster of islands off the Odisha coast.

The ministry would also determine the amount of charges which the KoPT may have to pay to the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) for maintenance of draft levels.

The dispute over the location of the transloading facility was settled last month in a meeting between KoPT officials and Odisha government officials in the presence of members of the shipping ministry.

KoPT hoped that the shipping ministry would take a final decision on jurisdiction of the proposed facility as well as the amount of maintenance charges soon.

"We have sent the minutes of the meeting to the ministry, which is yet to approve it," KoPT chairman R.P.S. Kahlon said here.

While KoPT had proposed to carry out transloading operations close to Kanika Sands, the Odisha government objected to the central government's decision to allow the operations at the location, which is close to the Dhamra port.