Vallarpadam numbers loom over Vizhinjam

Kochi: The projection of traffic at the proposed Vizhinjam deep sea port and container transshipment terminal flies in the face of the difference between the projection and experience the state had at Vallarpadam international container transshipment terminal (ICTT).

AECOM India Pvt Ltd, the consultants for the Vizhinjam project in its master plan submitted in 2012 has said as of 2011, there were 7,634 vessels with carrying capacity upwards of 3000 TEUs which are considered mother vessels. There also were 3,678 vessels with capacity upwards 8000 TEUs. Most of these over 10,000 vessels which make an average eight calls a year, could visit Vallarpadam but very few did it. “We had the best time last year when we had about 120 calls by the mother vessels whereas the Colombo port had close to 2000 calls,” said a former senior official of DP World which operates Vallarpadam ICTT. “If draft or proximity to international routes were the criteria, they could call at Vallarpadam which can more than meet the requirements.”

He pointed out similar statistics were reeled out when Vallarpadam was launched in 2011. “We were expected to handle 1.2 million TEUs in the third year but could never reach. The maximum we could handle was 3.66 lakh TEUs.”    

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, however, told Deccan Chronicle that the proximity to the international shipping route will be the crucial differentiator for the Vizhinjam project. “There is no other port that is as close to international shipping route as Vizhinjam,” Mr Chandy said. “If we can provide facilities to make use of this advantage, then we will face no problem in attracting business to Vizhinjam.” It’s a reality that the traffic on the international route is on the rise, and we are quite confident about the success of the project, the chief minister added. When pointed out that Vallarpadam offered similar facilities and that not many mother vessels called at the port, the chief minister said Vallarpadam and Vizhinjam had two entirely different targets.

Asked whether there is a plan to invite a shipping company to take stake in the Vizhinjam project, the chief minister said the government has a positive approach to all suggestions. “We have taken no decision on the incentives to offer,” he said.