Ashuganj to have ro-ro ferry to handle ODCs for Tripura
Thursday, 15 July 2010
FE Report
Over-dimensional cargoes (ODCs) for Palatana power plant in Tripura are likely to be shipped through Ahsuganj port from December first week.
ODCs do not have any particular shape and cannot be containersied for shipment, thus there is a need for extra care during ferrying the cargoes.
"We are finalising the costs to ferry the cargoes as a roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) jetty at Ashuganj river port needs to be built as well as renovation of the road from Ashuganj to Akhaura near the Bangladesh-India border," Sheikh Mahfuz Hamid, managing director of Gulf Orient Seaways, which is assigned to carry the products from Kolkata to Akhaura, told the FE.
ONGC Tripura Power Company, owner of Palatana plant, will bear all the expenses to build the jetty and road network for smooth transportation of ODCs, he said.
"It is yet to be decided who will build the jetty and adjust road network, but it is a time-bound task. We want to do it under the direct supervision of the government," he added.
If the cargo shipment does not start in December, it will be difficult to hand over all the cargoes before the monsoon in 2011, Mr Hamid said.
Sixteen bridge-bypasses would be built to ferry the cargoes and they would be transported without hampering normal transport movement through the 49-kilometre Ashuganj-Akhaura road network, he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Premier Dr Manmohan Singh during their summit meeting in New Delhi in January agreed to the ODC shipment.
Over-dimensional cargoes (ODCs) for Palatana power plant in Tripura are likely to be shipped through Ahsuganj port from December first week.
ODCs do not have any particular shape and cannot be containersied for shipment, thus there is a need for extra care during ferrying the cargoes.
"We are finalising the costs to ferry the cargoes as a roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) jetty at Ashuganj river port needs to be built as well as renovation of the road from Ashuganj to Akhaura near the Bangladesh-India border," Sheikh Mahfuz Hamid, managing director of Gulf Orient Seaways, which is assigned to carry the products from Kolkata to Akhaura, told the FE.
ONGC Tripura Power Company, owner of Palatana plant, will bear all the expenses to build the jetty and road network for smooth transportation of ODCs, he said.
"It is yet to be decided who will build the jetty and adjust road network, but it is a time-bound task. We want to do it under the direct supervision of the government," he added.
If the cargo shipment does not start in December, it will be difficult to hand over all the cargoes before the monsoon in 2011, Mr Hamid said.
Sixteen bridge-bypasses would be built to ferry the cargoes and they would be transported without hampering normal transport movement through the 49-kilometre Ashuganj-Akhaura road network, he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Premier Dr Manmohan Singh during their summit meeting in New Delhi in January agreed to the ODC shipment.