Kochi Port Trust and Kochi Refineries,
on 11 June 2003, entered into a MoU for the setting up of a single buoy mooring
(SBM) facility within the KPT premises, to handle crude oil.
Salient features of the Rs.719 crore project
are as follows:
- KRL would be setting up the facility 18.7 km offshore
from Puthuvypeen near Kochi.
- The SBM facility would come up in 2-3 years from zero
date
- KPT will provide on lease 89 hectares of land,
initially, and 20 hectares in future when KRL sets up a tank farm (as part
of its expansion project)
The project will help KRL to import
crude oil directly at lower costs. KPT would charge KRL port dues, wharfage,
towage, etc. at rates fixed by the Tariff Authority for Major Ports.
KRL had earlier proposed to
set up the SBM at Manakkodam in Alappuzha district. This plan was dropped
in favour of the present one.