Kochi: Clarity sought over move to deepen draft depth at port
Welcoming the decision of the Union government to
invest Rs 380 crore to deepen the draft depth at the Cochin Port to 16m, the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and
Industry has sought clarity over the other factors related to the decision.
In a statement issued on Saturday, 26 Nov the chamber
said that the central government needs to have a relook at the Light House Dues
(LHD), which are the charges levied on ships for the maintenance of lighthouses
and other aids to navigation.
“As per the announcement, the central government is
meeting only 50% of the cost and the balance is to be met by the Cochin Port
Authority. The financial position of the
Cochin Port Authority does not appear to be good enough to meet the 50% cost of
investment. Hence, the central government should consider meeting the full
cost of deepening the draft depth,” the statement said.
