Shipbuilding yard to come up at Ponnani port under PPP model

A major shipbuilding yard will soon be set up at the Ponnani port here, which will boost development in the Malabar region, officials said on Sunday.

It was stated that the tender process of the shipyard, which is proposed to be developed within the scope of the public-private partnership (PPP) model, has been completed.

According to the statement, the shipyard will be established on approximately 29 acres of coastal land on the western side of the Ponnani fishing port under the Kerala Maritime Board, making it the second shipyard in the state after Kochi.

The agreement with the private partner is expected to be signed within two weeks.

In the statement, it was stated that a training institute on shipbuilding will also be established and cargo handling operations are planned to begin shortly after the shipyard becomes operational.

first stage

In the first phase, the facility will focus on the construction of small ships. For this purpose, a pier adjacent to the breakwater will be built in the estuary. An investment of around Rs 200 crore is expected at this stage.

In the second phase, large ships will be built over the next seven to 10 years with an estimated investment of around 1,000 crore.

The statement stated that the project aims to make Ponnani the largest shipbuilding shipyard in the state after Kochi.

Officials added that the shipyard is expected to create employment for approximately 1,000 people.

Meanwhile, it was decided to provide alternative facilities on the east side of the port for the fish drying units currently operating in the area designated for the shipyard. The decision was taken at the meeting held under the chairmanship of the District Governorship.

MLA P. Nandakumar said the project will provide a major boost to the development of Ponnani and called for local cooperation to ensure smooth implementation of the project.