Inland Waterways Authority of India Starts its operation

6 October 2013
Kochi

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has started dredging of the approach area of Ro-Ro Jetties at Willingdon Island and Bolgatty. The Ro-Ro service, which transport wheeled cargo between the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) Vallarpadam, and the Willingdon Island, has been affected since August after fishing nets got entangled in its propeller, affecting the engine.

Following this, LOTS Shipping, the company which operates the service had requested the IWAI and the Cochin Port Trust to carry out dredging on the channel immediately.

“Dredging is now in progress at the approach area of the jetty at both terminals. With no dredging for a long time, the depth available at the approach area has reduced to 1.6 metres. The Ro-Ro Barge requires 1. 8 metres depth with load. We expect that the work would be completed in a period of 20 days,” said sources with the operator company.

They added that IWWAI will be carrying out dredging on the approach area in the first phase. “Dredging of the channel along the three kilometres stretch will be carried out at a later stage as the channel has a depth of three metres now,” they said.

The Ro-Ro (Roll-on Roll-off) barge service  was introduced to facilitate the transportation of container trucks between Willingdon Island and the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT). So far  1.10 lakh trailers have been transported via waterways.

Source– http://newindianexpress.com

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