The maximum draft of ships calling at the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) is raised to 14 meter (about 46 feet) following harbor and channel dredging by DP World Cochin.
Dubai-based DP World is operating the Vallarpadam terminal along with Cochin Port Trust (CoPT) in a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
According to an official statement from the Port Authority, the turnaround of ships of over 275 meter (902 feet) and drawing maximum draft of 14 meter will be subject to tide and weather conditions.
The terminal is the first stage in the Dubai-based company's three-phase improvement at Cochin, with ability to handle 1 million tonne (mn t) Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) in the initial phase, 1.5 mn t TEU in the second phase and 4 mn t TEU when fully commissioned.