JNPT, Mumbai’s largest container port, is looking forward to awarding a tender for the Rs 1571-crore dredging project in the city harbor this month, reports IBN Live.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) chairman, L Radhakrishnan, told PTI that he had the bids and that he expected the ministerial nod by the end of the month. Reportedly, three European firms specializing in dredging have bid for the contract.
The prospect of the project is to increase the depth of the 35-km channel, up to the port to 14 meter, from the present 10 meter, thus enable movement of much larger ships.
The port will use its reserves for financing the project which is expected to be completed in two-and-a-half years. These undertakings will be followed by the Rs 5,000-crore second phase of dredging aimed at increasing the channel’s depth to 17 meter. According to Radhakrishnan, the second phase will be carried out within a public-private partnership project.
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Dredging Today Staff, March 12, 2012;