PM to Inaugurate ₹4,000 Crore Mega Infrastructure Projects in Kochi on Wednesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate three major infrastructure projects in Kochi on Wednesday, collectively valued at ₹4,000 crore. The projects include the New Dry Dock (NDD) and the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of Cochin Shipyard Limited, along with the LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation.

The ISRF and New Dry Dock Project mark a significant advancement in India's ship repair and shipbuilding capabilities, enhancing the country's standing in the global maritime domain. The LPG Import Terminal, established by Indian Oil Corporation, is poised to strengthen India's energy infrastructure, ensuring a consistent supply of LPG for households and businesses in the region, according to Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

The New Dry Dock, constructed at a cost of ₹1,799 crore within the existing premises of CSL, is a unique 310-meter-long stepped dry dock with a depth of 13 meters and a draught of up to 9.5 meters. It stands as one of the largest marine infrastructures in the region.

Featuring heavy ground loading, the new dry dock positions India with advanced capabilities to handle strategic assets such as future aircraft carriers and large commercial vessels. This move is expected to reduce India's dependency on foreign nations for emergency national requirements.

The ISRF project, costing ₹970 crore, is situated on 42 acres of leased premises of the Cochin Port Authority at Willingdon Island. It aims to modernize and expand CSL's existing ship repair capabilities, aspiring to transform Kochi into a global ship repair hub in line with the Prime Minister's vision of creating ship repair clusters in India.

These projects collectively contribute to enhancing the nation’s shipbuilding and repair capacities, aligning with the Government of India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV2030).

The IndianOil’s LPG Import Terminal at Puthuvypeen, Kochi, built with an investment of Rs1,236 crore, boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure connected to a Multi-User Liquid Terminal Jetty through a 3.5 km Cross Country Pipeline, capable of achieving a capacity of 1.2 MMTPA. Positioned strategically, the terminal will cater to the LPG requirements of Southern India.With a storage capacity of 15,400 MT, the terminal is expected to facilitate LPG distribution through road and pipeline transfers, benefiting bottling plants in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The project anticipates annual logistic savings of Rs. 150 crore, reducing CO2 emissions by 18 thousand tonnes per annum.

HBL