Shipbuilding-Terminals
In 2016, the Government has taken following initiatives to strengthen shipbuilding industry which depended on defense and offshore sector vessels.
Infrastructure status for shipyards.
The Government has, on April 13, 2016, notified inclusion of stand-alone shipyards undertaking activities such as shipbuilding and ship-repair under the Harmonized List of Infrastructure sectors.
With this inclusion, shipyards will be able to avail flexible structuring of long term project loans, long term funding from Infrastructure Funds at lower rates of interest and for a longer tenure equivalent to the economic life of their assets, issuance of infrastructure bonds for meeting working capital requirements.
Financial assistance and eligibility support for Indian shipyards.
The Government has introduced a Rs.4,000 crore Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy for a period of 10 years to encourage domestic shipbuilding.
Financial assistance will be granted to Indian Shipyards equal to 20 per cent of the lower of “Contract Price” or the “Fair Price” (as assessed by three international valuers) of each vessel built by them for a period of at least 10 years commencing 2015-16.
This rate of 20 per cent will be reduced by three per cent every three years. Necessary guidelines have since been formulated and uploaded on the website of the Ministry on June 16, 2016 for wide circulation and operationalization.
Criteria for evaluating and awarding tenders from shipbuilding and ship repair work floated by government departments or agencies including Public Sector Undertakings.
Revision of domestic eligibility criteria has been approved to ensure that all the government departments or governmental agencies procuring vessels for governmental purposes or for own purposes shall undertake bulk tendering for their vessel related requirements with deliveries starting from 2016-17 with a Right of First Refusal (RoFR) for Indian shipyards.
They shall ensure that from 2025 onwards only Indian-built vessels are procured for governmental purpose or for own purpose.
Similar relaxation will be applicable for repair of their vessels.
Shipbreaking
Project for upgradation of ship recycling yards Alang-Sosiya with loan from #Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA):
#Gujarat Maritime Board had submitted a DPR for modernization of Alang-Sosiya ship recycling yards with JICA loan assistance of US$180.28 million. JICA has conducted preparatory survey at #Alang Sosiya.
JICA is expected to take a final decision on the project and Loan Agreement may be processed by March, 2017.
A new large dry dock is considered essential for future growth of #Cochin Shipyard (CSL).
This dry dock will enable CSL to construct LNG ships, Large Naval vessels like the proposed second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, Merchant vessels, like Cape size vessels, etc.
The dry dock will also cater to repairs and upgradation of jack-up rigs, semi submersibles, etc.
The estimated cost of the proposed new High Density dry dock is Rs.1,799 Crores.
Proposed International Ship Repair Facility
The project was awarded to CSL on nomination basis by #Cochin Port Trust. CSL had taken over 8.12 ha of land and 15 ha of water area for a lease period of 30 years.
It intends to setup ship lift of 130 m x 25 m with a capacity to dock the vessels up to 6,000T at a draft of 4.5m.
The facility will have the transfer system, 6 workstations, a float repair berths and allied facilities.
The cost is estimated Rs.970 Crores.
Repairs of around 84 vessels per year are envisaged in the upcoming facility.
CSL has already commenced the Ship repair activities in the small existing dry dock.
The facility is to be completed within 60 months.
Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) has started harnessing solar energy to operate lighthouses. Till date, 158 lighthouses have been fully solarized by generating 377 KW of solar energy.
DGLL has planned to achieve complete soloraization of all the lighthouses in 2016.
National Waterways
The National Waterway Act, 2016 has declared 111 national waterways.
Thirty-two new national waterways are to be developed in the next three years.
Jal Marg Vikas Project for capacity augmentation of National Waterway – 1 (River Ganga) from Haldia to Varanasi (Phase-I) by facilitating navigation of 1,500-2,000T Ships has been commissioned with the technical and financial assistance of World Bank of about Rs.5,639 crore.
Work has commenced on Phase-I (A) of the #Multi-modal Terminal at Varanasi. It is mainly offshore work, costing Rs.169.70 crore, with scheduled completion in 26 months.
Work for construction of Phase-I of the Terminal at Sahibganj has been awarded. Costing Rs.280.90 crore, it is scheduled for completion in 30 months.
Construction work for New Navigational Lock at Farakka has been awarded. Costing Rs.359.19 crore, it is to be completed in 30 months.
61 acres of land in the Haldia Dock Complex has been taken on 30 year lease from #Kolkata Port Trust.
Tender process for Phase-I of the terminal is in the advanced stage. The work is scheduled to be completed in 30 months from the date of award of work which is expected end of 2016.
The stretch between Muktyala to Vijayawada of National Waterway–4 is being planned for immediate operation for which dredging works has been awarded.
Preparatory works viz. land delineation surveys, categorization of cross structures are also underway in Vijayawada–Kakinada stretch of NW–4 to develop through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which is under process for approval.
The dredging operation in the non-tidal stretch between Erada to Padanipal has commenced as part of National Waterway-5.
Lease agreement has been signed for 6.79 acres of land for setting up of temporary terminal facility at Erada. Action has been initiated for acquiring another 0.85 acres land on lease basis.
Scheme for developing the terminal with floating pontoon equipped with suitable cranes along with associated civil engineering work has also already been sanctioned and work for construction of pontoon with gangway has already been awarded. The procurement of cranes is also at an advanced stage. fii-news.com
