Dutch minister Eurlings with Sen in Calcutta. Picture by Kishor Roychowdhury

Calcutta, Feb. 15: Short of plots for industry, Bengal has turned to the Dutch for help in reclaiming land from the sea.

The government is considering using the same method to develop a deep sea port that has been stalled for years.

State industries minister Nirupam Sen discussed the reclamation plan today with Dutch transport minister Camiel Eurlings.

“Our companies have strong expertise in this (reclamation). They are involved in many such projects across the globe,” said Eurlings on the sidelines of a shipping seminar organised by the Dutch government and Calcutta Port Trust (CPT).

The delegation of 40 that he was leading included Rotterdam port chief operating officer Peter Struss, who said his company was keen on operating the deep sea port.

Sen confirmed the Dutch interest in the port. “We have received an offer to develop the deep sea port through reclamation. In this method, no land will be required.”

The state has signed an agreement with the CPT to reclaim 2,000 acres on Nayachar island, off Haldia, for the planned chemical hub.

The CPT will dredge the river channel nearby and dump the soil to raise the ground level.

Land reclamation is not new to Bengal nor is the Dutch prowess in such projects: Salt Lake was developed that way in the 60s, with Dutch expertise.

At the seminar today were the heads of several companies involved in reclamation for years in their country, much of which was below sea level and had to be filled up.

Eurlings suggested that Bengal would be on the top of the agenda of bilateral initiatives in the transport sector, too.

Other than reclamation, Bengal has sought Dutch help to develop inland waterways and dredging the Hooghly to ensure that it is deep enough for large vessels.