Shipbuilding yard to come up at Ponnani port under PPP model

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

The tender process for the proposed shipyard, to be developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, has been completed, they said.

The shipyard will be established on about 29 acres of coastal land on the western side of the Ponnani fishing harbour under the Kerala Maritime Board, making it the second shipyard in the State after Kochi, according to a statement.

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

A shipbuilding-related training institute will also be set up, and cargo-handling operations are planned to begin soon after the shipyard becomes operational, the statement said.

The first phase

In the first phase, the facility will focus on building small vessels. A wharf will be constructed adjoining the breakwater at the estuary for this purpose. An investment of around ₹200 crore is expected in this phase.

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

The project aims to develop Ponnani into the largest shipbuilding yard in the State after Kochi, the statement said.

The shipyard is expected to generate employment for around 1,000 people, officials added.

Meanwhile, it has been decided to provide alternative facilities on the eastern side of the harbour for fish-drying units currently operating at the site identified for the shipyard. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the District Collector.

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