Kolkata: State-run Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), formerly the Kolkata Port Trust, has plans to issue an Expression of Interest (EoI) by the end of this month for building a container trans-shipment terminal ie a port at ₹17,000 crores in Galathea Bay of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
SMPK chairman PL Haranadh informed on Thursday that the project would be developed by the ministry of ports but it would be operated in public-private partnership.
He said, "This is a big project which is worth ₹40,000 crores for building a port, an airport, a power plant and a township. It's Phase I covers construction of a port at ₹17,000 crores. We are going to publish the EoI by this January-end to understand the market potentiality before floating a tender."
Explaining the purpose of the project, Mr Haranadh added, "Now cargo is shipped in small vessels from Kolkata, Haldia, Paradip, Vizag, Mongla and Chittagong to Singapore and Sri Lanka from where it is trans-shipped to big vessels. The benefits go to Singapore and Sri Lanka only. If such a port is developed in India, which is also closer to the international sea route, we can also do the trans-shipment there."
