Navy for separate wharf at Vizhinjam ICTT

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Navy is eyeing a dedicated wharf for its vessels at the proposed Vizhinjam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT).“The Southern Naval Command (SNC) had advised the Naval HQ that the Navy should be given a dedicated berth of approximately 150 m at the proposed ICTT, taking into account its strategic importance,” Navy sources said. The proposed naval wharf can also be shared by Coast Guard ships, according to the Navy.In addition to a wharf, the Navy is eyeing contiguous land for setting up a small office, fuel bunkers and allied facilities. The Navy also prefers to have a representative on future port administration bodies such as a Vizhinjam Port Trust. “This is not unusual as the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) has a naval representative,” Navy sources said.From Navy’s point of view, the Vizhinjam Port would be strategically located due to its proximity to busy international shipping lanes. Security of sea routes have assumed greater importance in recent years owing to fears of piracy as well as sea-based terrorism attempts. Besides, China’s increasing interest in the Indian Ocean region, especially Sri Lanka, where it has developed the Hambantota Port and is helping expand the Colombo Port, is of concern to India. On Monday, the Defence Ministry had given  security clearance to two bidders for the approximately Rs 6,600 crore Vizhinjam ICTT project. “The Defence Ministry letter to the State Government in this regard does not mention any conditions for the nod,” Ports Minister K Babu said.Earlier, the Defence Ministry had set a condition that naval ships should be allotted berth space while waving through a consortium led by Lanco Group for the same project. But Kerala was forced to go in for fresh global tenders after Lanco withdrew from the project.Recently, the Coast Guard had raised the same demand at a civil-military liaison conference. The Ports Department had said at the time that it was not averse to the proposal, provided the MoD funded the construction of additional quay required.