Lok Sabha Question No. 166 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-06
Subject: Outer Harbour Container Terminal at VOC  Port in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Thiru Dayanidhi Maran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*166

ANSWERED ON 06.12.2024

## OUTER HARBOUR CONTAINER TERMINAL AT VOC PORT IN TAMIL NADU

*166.  THIRU DAYANIDHI MARAN:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYSbe pleased to state:

## पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

(a) the status of the outer harbour container terminal project at V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port in Tamil Nadu since its announcement; (b) the  time  by  which  the  said  project  is  expected  to  commence  alongwith  the estimated timeline for its completion; (c) the specific measures taken/proposed to be taken to designate the VOC Port as a major transshipment hub on the East Coast of the country; (d) the  current  status  of  the  Green  Hydrogen  Production  Facility at  VOC  Port  and the status of utilization of the land earmarked for this purpose; (e) whether NTPC has started work on the green hydrogen production facility at the said port and if so, the details alongwith the status thereof; and (f) the  measures  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  monitor  and mitigate  the  environmental  impact  of  large-scale  projects  such  as  the  outer  harbour

- terminal and green hydrogen initiatives in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) to (f) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  to  (f)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*166 ANSWERED ON 6 th  DECEMBER, 2024 RAISED BY SHRI THIRU DAYANIDHI MARAN REGARDING 'OUTER HARBOUR CONTAINER TERMINAL AT VOC PORT IN TAMIL NADU'.

(a) to (b) Central  Government  approved  the  project  proposal  on  21.02.2024.  The tender for the project was floated by V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (V.O.CPA) on 22.02.2024  and  opened  on  01.07.2024.  Due  to  ineligible  bids,  the  tender  was discharged on 30.10.2024. V.O.CPA  again  invited tenders on  02.12.2024.  The construction period & commissioning of stage-I is 36 (thirty-six) months from the date of award of  concession.  The  construction period  of  stage-II  of  the  facility  is  24  months, which is targeted to commence after 5 years of completion of stage-I.

(c) Measures taken  to  designate  V.O.CPA  to  become  a  major  transshipment  hub include conversion of Berth No.9 as a Container Terminal with an capacity addition of 6 lakh TEUs per annum, award of dredging work for the dock basin up to 14.2 metre draft and to  widen  portion  of  the  port  entrance,  turning  circle  and  channel  patches.  V.O.C Port is developing the Outer Harbour Container Terminal with a 4 million TEU capacity to  handle  deep  draft  vessels  up  to  22,000  TEUs  which  is  one  of  the  premier requirements  for  establishing  a  transshipment  hub.  The  project  is  supported  through Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to the tune of Rs.1950 Crore or lowest quoted VGF. The location chosen  for  this project is  V.O.CPA,  which  is  strategically  located  near international shipping lanes and established transshipment hub, i.e., Colombo.

(d) V.O.CPA has allotted approximately 501 acres of land to 4 different agencies for the  development  of  green  hydrogen/ammonia  production  and  storage  within  the  port area. The agencies have initiated the preliminary activities such as Survey, Preparation of Plan, etc.

(e) NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) has signed a non-binding MoU with V.O.CPA during  Global  Maritime  India  Summit  2023  for  Development  of  Green  Hydrogen  Hub and offshore wind energy projects.

(f) Environmental  and  Coastal  Regulation  Zones  (CRZ)  Clearances  from  the concerned authorities are obtained for all new projects.

'HaritSagar'  green  port  guidelines  have  been  launched  by  the  Ministry  of  Ports, Shipping  and  Waterways  on  10.05.2023  to  provide  a  framework  to  major  ports  for sustainable  development  through  reduction  of  the  carbon  footprints,  pollution  and development  of  monitoring  mechanism  for  environmental  performance  indicators  at major ports.

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