Panaji: Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) outlined plans to seek Rs 1,300 crore in funding from the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways to redevelop Berth 9 and to deepen the navigational channel leading to the port.The port already submitted a proposal to the Union ministry asking for Rs 750 crore to modernise and develop a 350m-long multi-cargo facility at Berth 9, which lay idle.Berth 9 is the only berth that is yet to be privatised.“We already submitted one proposal for development of Berth 9, which is the only one remaining with the port. We already submitted a proposal for Rs 740 crore to the Central govt. We want to develop a 350m multi-cargo berth with a shore power system. We expect govt of India to approve that and also give us the required funds,” said MPA Chairman N Vinodkumar.The second proposal that MPA expects to submit in a couple of months is for capital dredging of the berths and the approach channel to the harbour. “The current draft is 14.4m. We are submitting a proposal to govt of India to increase the draft to 19.8m in the approach channel and 19.5m in at least four berths. This will become one of the few deep-draft ports in the country, which will reduce the carbon emissions substantially, and the freight cost will go down substantially, thereby reducing the logistics cost.”He said that Panmax vessels that dock at the port have a deadweight tonnage of 70,000 to 80,000, but their cargo-carrying capacity is limited due to the shallow draft. The MPA chairman said that deepening the navigational channel will allow the port to handle capesize vessels, which will allow more cargo to be handled while reducing carbon emission norms.However, given MPA’s strained financial position and the funding cap of 50% imposed on Sagarmala projects, the port is making a special case for 100% funding from the Centre. “In three or four months, both these proposals will be with govt of India. Rs 1,300 crore is a really large investment for a small port like us. We cannot even afford to spend Rs 600 to 700 crore,” said Vinodkumar.
