MEGAPROJECT: Vizhinjam Container Transshipment Terminal | Under Development

[Ajaypp]

@TVM2020, As far as we understand, CSL approached the govt in 2009-10 with a proposal to set up a shipyard @ Vizhinjam and the proposal was forwarded to the Ports Department. GOK, due to the difficulty in land acquistion [they were finding hard to find land even for the Vizhinja port] suggested Poovar as their choice, but CSL insisted on Vizhijam due to the proximity to the upcoming.

Azhikal was proposed as an alternative site and as per initial reports, Azhikal is not an ideal location to establish a Shipyard as envisaged by CSL and if that happens Vizhijam/Poovar will be again in contention.

But the big question is whether GOK will be able to identify 150+ acres of land for the CSL in the vicinity of Vizhinjam.

- No, the big question is not about land or water, but whether this Government, supposedly led by Oommen Chandy, has any interest whatsoever in the project or anything else related to Trivandrum. They pay mere lip-service to projects here. The attempt to shift the deep-draft shipyard to Azhikkal is just another example. It's especially glaring because that location has nowhere near the water depth needed for the purpose, indeed it's probably shallower that CSL's current location!

If there's the interest and political will to locate the yard at Vizhinjam, there are ways of going about it. For example, the dry-dock complex and the back-up manufacturing and pre-assembly complex can be located discretely, as in the case of the massive new shipyard at Pipavav. This would minimize the area needed right at the port.

But then, you'd need half a brain and 100% commitment.

[Ajaypp]

Originally Posted by TVM2020

Besides CSL is planning for a public issue of Rs. 1500 crores .They plan to spend Rs 750 crores for a new ship repair facility for small ships at the Cochin port. Other plans being a large dry dock to repair rigs and other submersibles and a fabrication yard for offshore structures. This is what Vizhinjam / Poovar or Azhikkal is dreaming for.

I believe that the yard intended for Vizhinjam/Poovar was a deep-draft dry-dock capable of building ships up to the VLCC class. Rigs and offshore structures do not necessarily need such a yard.

[TVM2020]

Originally Posted by chandrurajan

But the big question is whether GOK will be able to identify 150+ acres of land for the CSL in the vicinity of Vizhinjam.

Anyways TDF can file an RTI with CSL to get more details.

Chandru - Thanks for the response . How about Poovar ? CSL is not interested or what ? Though I know that being an armchair activist &
giving suggestions is not a worthwhile attempt , I would suggest a replica of the efforts taken by TDF (Meeting the CM , Port Minister , VISL
Authorities) in Vizhinjam Deep Water Port Project for Shipyard too . CSL seems to be very much interested in Vizhinjam / Poovar , which is
evident from their presence as stake holder in VISL meetings . A heavy handed lobbying from CSL will bring this project to our shore

[TVM2020]

Another article emphasizing the urgency of Vizhinjam

Vessels above 10,000 TEU in demand as ship operators look for economies of scale - Key regional maritime figures discuss industry challenges at Seatrade Middle East Maritime event in Dubai.

DUBAI, November 27, 2012 The opening plenary session of Seatrade Middle East Maritime saw the region's key players describing the challenging environment the industry faces - but offering some powerful solutions to the audience of industry professionals from 67 different countries.

Chaired by Sky News TV anchor Jeremy Thompson, the panel of eminent keynote speakers included HE Sheikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Chairman, ASRY, Bahrain, who said: "The challenges our industry faces are a matter of concern especially here in the GCC, as we are net importers.

"Unfortunately, changes never come alone they come in groups, especially in the maritime sector. Stagnating volumes, rising fuel prices, declining asset prices, piracy and insurance are challenges, but they're cyclical.

On a positive note, HE Sheikh Al Khalifa says he sees growth in the Ultra Large Vessels sector."Super vessels are being ordered to take advantage of the economies of scale. Everyone is ordering vessels above 10,000 TEU; there's no lay up in this sector.

"This is a reflection of the optimism in the industry that we will see another upturn soon - but maybe not in 2013," he said.
Key to survival, HE Sheikh Al Khalifa suggests, is diversification and risk management.

"We must change and evolve as the business environment changes around us. We must take calculated risks to protect ourselves; we must have the bravery to expand and diversify.

"Diversification should be a natural evolution; but should also provide benefits to the core business stream. ASRY is subject to the same downturns faced by the shipping industry, but since we have diversified, our new oil and gas division is now earning as much revenue as our core business," he added.

Chris Hayman, Chairman of Seatrade, remarked to the audience that there is a definite move towards ultra large vessels.

Hayman said: "While the recently commissioned Marco Polo, at 16,000 TEU is the largest vessel in the world, next year, Maersk will surpass this with its 18,000 TEU capacity vessel. Maersk's business also underlines the shifting global economic focus, after it has seen a 15% increase in business from emerging markets."

HE Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, Vice Chairman, DP World & Group CEO, Port & Free Zone World, Dubai, said he sees a "new wave of globalisation" and a totally different world since 2008.

"After a sustained period of growth of around 12-15% per annum - a boom rate until 2008 - we are now seeing growth rates in the industry of 2-3%, which will continue for two reasons - low tariffs and global trade barriers," he said.

HE Bin Thaniah said: "Since the 1980s, the world has moved from nations and protectionism, to global regions, such as Europe, which are shrinking into themselves.

"There is also a shift in the centre of gravity - we are seeing a shift in economic power from west to east."

He said the industry needs to "move away from the regionalised global system and work together to remove the global trade barriers."

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, the three-day exhibition and conference will run until 29 November, and is the largest event in the regional calendar, with more than 7,000 participants from 70 countries expected to attend.

http://www.zawya.com/story/Gulf_inve...0121127121243/

[Ajaypp]

- The Gulf is not investing in super-size container ships. The 18,000 TEU Triple-E class ships are being built by APM Maersk.

And to think, we are sitting on our thumbs on the best port in India to handle these ships both from operating draft and locational perspectives!

[ajithv]

Source: Mathrubhumi

[vinodkk]

Do we have any update on the EIA report? Or had the Oommen and Co submerged it in the deep waters of Vizhinjam?

[rejithcvcv]

Originally Posted by vinodkk

Do we have any update on the EIA report? Or had the Oommen and Co submerged it in the deep waters of Vizhinjam?

No news here until the next Govt

[Rajesh SM]

Originally Posted by rejithcvcv

No news here until the next Govt

അതിന് ഇപ്പൊ കേരളത്തിൽ ഗവർന്മെന്റ് നിലവിലുണ്ടോ ?

[Kannan46]

Originally Posted by Rajesh SM

അതിന് ഇപ്പൊ കേരളത്തിൽ ഗവർന്മെന്റ് നിലവിലുണ്ടോ ?

Sure , There is a government --- but it depends upon what functions you are expecting from our ministers and other Mouth Looking Agents.

IF you think about functions like amassing wealth thru bribery or other dirty means, promoting actions of self interest and welfare of close relatives and friends, foreign tours and appointment of party members for lucrative and influential positions -- there is a solid government.

Otherwise big ZERO.

Tears!!!

[Tri Man]

deleted...

[remobecks]

Have the authorities forgotten the EIA Public hearing?and further proceedings?Any updates?First they said it will be in September,then November,then extended to December and now first half is gone and what is happening

[Rajesh SM]

Gok has given nod to Kinfra for acquring 100 acres of land in Vizhinjam for establishing port based SEZ/Port city and released funds for that.

[ASGeorge]

Master plan for port city soon

The Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University, Ahmedabad, will prepare the master plan for an ambitious project to develop a ‘port city’ within 15 km radius of the proposed Vizhinjam international container transshipment terminal (ICTT).

Ports Minister K Babu had said in a written reply in the Assembly the other day that the CEPT University had been appointed for the master plan preparation.

This master plan - which is a different one from the master plan for the port proper - will guide the development that will occur in the vicinity of the ICTT in the next three decades, the Minister said. It will reflect the aspects of social responsibility and comprehensive long-term planning.

The director board of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL), the company overseeing the port project, had given in-principle approval for the master plan for the ICTT on September 26 this year.

That meeting had also given approval for the inclusion of three CSR projects in the Vizhinjam area; a seafood park and skill development centre near the proposed ICTT, infrastructure development at the small fishing harbour alongside which the ICTT is to come up and the development of the Government UP School at Mulloor. These projects, in fact, are part of the larger port city plan.

On Thursday, the Ports Minister also told the House that the funds for drawing a 220 KV transmission line from Balaramapuram to Vizhinjam have been transferred to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

Source : newindianexpress
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/t...cle1387989.ece

[remobecks]

വിഴിഞ്ഞത്തു പോര്*ട്ട് സിറ്റി

വിഴിഞ്ഞം തുറമുഖ പദ്ധതി പ്രദേശത്തിന്*റെ 15 കിലോ മീറ്റര്* ചുറ്റളവിലുള്ള മേഖലയെ പോര്*ട്ട്സിറ്റി സ്ഥാപിക്കുമെന്നു മന്ത്രി കെ. ബാബു. ഇതിനുള്ള മാസ്റ്റര്* പ്ലാന്* തയ്യാറാക്കാന്* സെന്*റ് ഫൊര്* പ്ലാനിംഗ് ആന്*റ് ടെക്നോളജി യൂനിവേഴ്സിറ്റി അഹമ്മദാബാദിനെ നിയോഗിച്ചു. പദ്ധതിയുടെ ഭാഗമായി അടുത്ത 30 വര്*ഷത്തിനുള്ളില്* വരാവുന്ന പ്രാദേശിക വികസനങ്ങള്* മുന്നില്* കണ്ടാണു മാസ്റ്റര്* പ്ലാന്*. തുറമുഖ ശുദ്ധജല വിതരണ ശൃംഖലയില്* നിന്ന് 1.5 ദശലക്ഷം ലിറ്റര്* ജലം തദ്ദേശീയര്*ക്ക് ലഭ്യമാക്കാനുള്ള പ്രവര്*ത്തനത്തിന് തുടക്കം കുറിച്ചു. 2011-12 കാലഘട്ടത്തില്* 226 കോടി രൂപ പദ്ധതിക്കായി ചെലവഴിച്ചുവെന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം അറിയിച്ചു.

[nishanthnair]

Port city?

നമ്മള്‍ കുറേ സിറ്ടികള് കണ്ടതാ

[25Dude25]

'city'ye patti oraksharam mindipokaruthu

[vinodkk]

Originally Posted by remobecks

വിഴിഞ്ഞത്തു പോര്*ട്ട് സിറ്റി

Another 'swapna padhathi' for those hijackers.

[Rajesh SM]

Originally Posted by nishanthnair

Port city?

നമ്മള്‍ കുറേ സിറ്ടികള് കണ്ടതാ

സിറ്റിയെ പറ്റി പറഞ്ഞാലും കുഴപ്പമില്ല പക്ഷേ SHEIKH മാരെ പറ്റി ഒരക്ഷരം മിണ്ടരുത്

[Ajaypp]

- What a world-class port like Vizhinjam needs is a well-planned and executed logistics cluster, not some trumped up "city". There are great examples of projects of this sort in places like Zaragoza, Rotterdam, Singapore and the Inland Empire near LA.

I had a brief chat with one of the world's top experts on logistics clusters the other day and we need folks like him to plan something of this scale and complexity out. Rather than naming it "XYZ" city and handing it over to agencies of dubious capability.

Hopefully, CEPT will do a decent job of it.