KOCHI: In an attempt to curb the rising cost of dredging for maintaining the shipping channels, the Cochin Port Trust is planning to procure its own dredger.“We are thinking of various possibilities to reduce the dredging cost and discussions with the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) are in progress in this regard,” said Cochin Port Trust chairman Paul Antony.The Cochin Port’s present dredging contract with the DCI is for three years - from 2011-12 to 2013-14.The annual channel maintenance cost of the Cochin Port has risen to Rs 110 crore from Rs 35 crore during 2011-12 after the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal was commissioned. At the same time, the port is yet to get a considerable income from ICTT. The heavy expense for dredging has badly affected the financial status of the port management prompting it to introduce certain austerity measures.Earlier, the Shipping Ministry had rejected a request by the port management seeking assistance to purchase a dredger to carry out maintenance in the channel. The ministry asked the management to look into the possibilities of awarding the dredging contract for a long term up to 20 years.The Port Trust, on many occasions, had raised complaints that though the channels are used by the Navy, the Coast Guard, Cochin Shipyard and the Kochi Refinery, the whole expense was borne by the CPT alone. “However, promoters of the proposed LNG Terminal have agreed to provide a share of the cost once they start operations,” said a key official of the port.“The procurement of a dredger is just a proposal now. A decision will be taken in consultation with the DCI,” Paul Antony said.
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