Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Port gets a new lease of life

— Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

BOOST TO EMPLOYMENT: Hectic activities at Cuddalore port owing to arrival of two cargo ships.

CUDDALORE: The Cuddalore Port that remained dysfunctional for 12 years is now buzzing with activity, with about 5,000 workers engaged in unloading bulk urea from two cargo vessels anchored offshore.

Activities at the port were restricted all these years owing to lack of amenities and a ban on the import of urea.

However, financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank after the tsunami had facilitated creation of infrastructure to the tune of Rs.14 crore at the port.

Moreover, the Centre had lifted the ban on urea import. These factors helped to revive the port, officials at the Port said.

The vessels, m.v.Bao Shun and m.v.Ziang An, that arrived at the port within a space of a week, have brought an aggregate quantity of over 47,000 tonnes of bulk urea for the Nagarjuna Fertilizers Ltd for distribution.

Two barges of 250-tonne and 400-tonne capacity have been deployed to bring the cargo from the ships to the shore.

The entire port area has been stacked with urea and the workers are busy measuring it out in polythene bags, 50 kg each, for onward journey to various destinations, both by lorries and wagons.

Besides allotting godowns, port authorities have also earmarked a 80,000-square metre stacking-yard for the purpose. Outgrowths in the vacant sites would be cleared to facilitate further storage if necessary. However, financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank after the tsunami had facilitated creation of infrastructure to the tune of Rs.14 crore at the port.

Moreover, the Centre had lifted the ban on urea import. These factors could help to revive the port, the sources said.

Assistant Director of Shipping S. Bharadwaj, Department of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India, accompanied by Captain Sainath, State Port Officer, and Cuddalore Port Conservator M. Sundaramurthy visited the port two days ago.

The sources said the port was fully equipped to receive a larger number of ships.

The Cuddalore Port would reduce turnaround time and facilitate easy movement of cargo.

Besides giving a thrust to import and export, it would also create thousands of jobs, both direct and indirect, thus paving the way for the economic growth of the region, the sources added.

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