Three ports to consider containerized RO plants

Desalination plants, based on latest technology, will be installed at Paradip Port, Kamarajar Port and VO Chidambarnar Port which are under the Shipping Ministry.

Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has instructed that these facilities be installed with immediate effect, according to Press Information Bureau release on 17 April 2018.

Containerized RO (Reverse Osmosis) based plants are being considered which can reduce the cost of producing desalinated water and would be cheaper than current water procurement cost at certain ports.

The plants would benefit areas near the ports like Thoothukudi near Tuticorin, where a 13 million litre per day plant will be able to serve 20% of Tuticorin city’s requirement after port utilization.

It will also help serve the water needs of the entire Chennai Port and 1% of the city’s requirement at lower costs.

This initiative is in line with the Ministry’s agenda to promote water conservation and reuse of water.

Gadkari also said that efforts should be made to extract methane, carbon dioxide and bio-CNG from water.

He has also directed port chairmen to explore feasibility about using treated sewage water for cleaning rail coaches at different railway stations, and nearby power plants.

He called for studies on the use of cheaper power options like renewable energy through wind mills and solar farms.

This will help bring down the cost of producing desalinated water by about 20%.

Desalination benefit may vary from port to port depending on municipal water purchase price and energy tariffs. fii-news.com