Kolkata Port to implement night navigation system

Kolkata: Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP) Kolkata, erstwhile Kolkata Port Trust is implementing a night navigation system in association with IIT Chennai that will help ships to move in and out of Haldia docks after sundown. Presently, vessels can hardly move during the night.

"This facility is already available in Antwerp Port in Europe. We have roped in experts from the foreign port and IIT Chennai for jointly conducting a study and accordingly submit a report on the basis of which satellite based technology can be developed for night navigation."

"The entire channel will be mapped and a voice will be posted through virtual mode so that vessels can have hassle free movement even after sundown," SMP Kolkata chairman Vinit Kumar said.

The Port authorities are hopeful that once the night navigation system is implemented the turnaround time will be reduced by at least 8 to10 hours.

SMP has registered a 15 per cent jump in net profit to Rs 120 crore during 2021-22 , up from Rs 104 crore profit in 2020-21.

The port handled 58.17 million tonne of cargo in this 2021-22 fiscal against 61.36 million tonne in the previous year after iron-ore exports and coal imports declined due to volatility in prices and high logistics freight rate during the year under review.

SMP has finalised projects worth Rs 1700 crore and the process will start within the year. Out of the Rs 1700 crore worth of projects, PPP initiatives will be to the tune of Rs 700 crore while the rest will be executed by

the port itself.

With the commencement of petro products import by Bangladesh's Mongla Port via Kolkata, the SMP expects an addition of about one million tonnes of cargo for the riverine port.