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| Harbour Dream |
Port Blair, Dec. 1: The Centre is planning an international transhipment port at Great Nicobar.
“When this port comes up, it will compete with Colombo and Singapore, the busiest transhipment ports in the world,” said Vivek Rae, chief secretary of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Great Nicobar is the largest of the Nicobar islands. A transhipment port is one where cargo is unloaded from a ship to be loaded in another ship bound for a new destination.
Wapcos Ltd, a public sector unit offering water and power consultancy, will study the feasibility of the project.
“We have also approached Indian Oil Corporation to consider setting up an oil bunker (storage facility) at Great Nicobar and the company is currently examining the feasibility of such a project,” Rae said.
The bunker, according to Rae, will facilitate the import of crude from Singapore, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries.
International flights may be allowed in the Union territory from next year. “Thai Airways has already got permission from the civil aviation ministry to fly from Port Blair to Phuket,” Rae said. Around 10,000 to 12,000 foreign tourists visit Andaman & Nicobar every year.
SBI initiative
The State Bank of India (SBI) has set up a training centre for rural skill development in Andaman & Nicobar.
The SBI, the lead bank in the islands, has 18 branches and plans to open four more before March.
“We shall also set up nine ATMs during this period in addition to the 11 we have,” said Jayanta K. Sinha, SBI chief general manager (Bengal circle).