Indian Solar Ferry Flies Flag for Cleaner, Cheaper Water Transport
Over the past three years, P. Ravindran’s commute from his southern Indian village has been about more than getting to work - the SIM card seller sees his daily trip on India’s first solar-powered ferry as doing his bit for the green revolution.“I am proud to be a frequent traveler on the Aditya... I am being part of cleaning the Earth,” said Ravindran, who uses the boat most days to travel to the town of Vaikom on Lake Vembanad.The Aditya’s green credentials have attracted international…
Adani Ports, L&T Ink Pact for Kattupalli Port Operations
Adani Ports has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with L&T Shipbuilding Limited (L&T) for evaluating the operations of the port at Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu, with effect from October 1, 2015 for a period of one month. The development comes amid reports that Gautam Adani-led Adani group is likely to take over the operational and management control of L&T Kattupalli International Container Terminal near Chennai to strengthen its presence on the east coast. The definitive agreements would be entered into later. While all non-operating revenues and expenses will be to L&T s account. Adani shall be responsible for EBIDTA gains and losses arising from the Port operation for this period. The shipyard will continue to be managed and operated by L&T, it added.
Adani Mulls Take Over of Katupalli Port
India's Adani Group is likely to take over the operational and management control of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Kattupalli International Container Terminal near Chennai, reports Business Standard. Adani is in the final stage of getting into an arrangement with L&T to take over the terminal, which the Mumbai-based construction and engineering major built at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore ($645 million). It is learnt that the AP Moller–Maersk Group, a Danish business conglomerate, is also in the race to acquire the container terminal operations of the Katupalli port. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd is evaluating the option of taking over the operation and maintenance of other ports too. Also on its radar are ports in Gangavaram, Andhra Pradesh, and Karaikal, Puducherry.
Dredging India
For enhancing the draft in ports or undertaking major dredging projects, India still relies on foreign dredging giants, a situation not likely to change unless the government comes out with a policy encouraging investment in the dredging industry. European dredging giants continue to make a clean sweep of all major Indian dredging projects, a market condition largely attributed to the lack of an environment conducive to encouraging Indian companies into large scale dredging. In short, there are no parallel “protectionist policies” in place like those that exists in several maritime countries. Big players in the India dredging market…
Cochin-Dubai Ferry Service on Hold
According to UNI, efforts of a Dubai shipping company to start a ferry service from here to Cochin, which would offer cheap fares and huge baggage allowance, has been put off due to technical reasons. Marco Shipping Company was expected to start services from February this year, but later it deferred its plans to September and now it had been postponed yet again. Chairman of the company Mohammed Ahmed Al Suwaidi said it had received permission from the Kerala Government for the ferry service, and spent 2 million Dirham to build facilities at the Cochin port. The ferry service, which was to have a capacity of 700 passengers in different classes, including luxury, first and economic class also boasted of a cinema and duty-free shops.
