KOCHI: Aiming to tap the business opportunities in the ship repairing and ship building sector, the Cochin Port Trust is planning to set up a mini shipyard in Willingdon Island. The area between the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology(CIFT) and Mattanchery wharf has been identified for the proposed shipyard-cum-ship repairing yard. The project is to be implemented on the lines of Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT).The Cochin Port Trust already has a dry dock and ship repairing yard in this area. In 2010 the Port Trust decided to renovate and modernise the workshop and dry dock facilities with private participation in order to tap opportunities in the repair of small vessels that are already there.However, the port management had to face stiff protest from the trade unions for its decision to outsource the operation of its workshop and dry dock. “The TUs raised a protest for fear that they may lose their jobs. Though the project is being planned to be implemented with private participation, the existing labourers of the dry dock will be retained,” said the port authorities. The land identified has all the advantages needed for a shipyard which include water frontage, channel among others,” they said. They further said that the major trade unions were in favour of the project.“The proposed project offers employment opportunities as annual repairing is a must for all vessels, irrespective of their size. Demand for small vessels is also on the rise,” the port authorities said.
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