Latest news with #KeralaMaritimeBoard
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Dredging at Beypore port likely to be completed by February 2026
The capital dredging work proposed at Beypore Port to remove virgin material from the seabed and deepen the existing waterway to allow easier navigation of larger vessels is likely to be completed by February 2026. Sources with the Kerala Maritime Board said the channel depth, currently at 3.7 metres, will be increased to 5.50 metres upon completion of the work, which had earlier faced delays due to rock formations. They added that the depth could be increased to 7.0 metres in a phased manner in the future. According to officials, the State government has already sanctioned ₹11.80 crore for the project, which has been pending for over eight years. The project, reviewed recently by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will be carried out based on the hydrographic survey wing's report. To meet additional financial requirements, the Harbour Engineering wing has submitted a separate estimate of ₹82.80 crore to the State government. Efforts are also under way to include the port's development needs under the Union government's Sagarmala initiative. The lack of adequate draught — the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of a ship's hull — has been restricting vessel movement to Beypore Port. The proposal for a passenger ship service also remains stalled due to the long-pending dredging work.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- The Hindu
Crackdown on unregistered houseboats in Kozhikode
The operation of inland cruise houseboats in Kozhikode district will be brought under strict monitoring, following a State-level directive issued by the Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) to enforce regulations related to passenger safety and boat registration. The move comes in the wake of internal reports highlighting widespread violations of safety norms in the sector. Instructions have been issued to local enforcement squads to impound mechanised boats used for tourism that operate without adhering to legal formalities. The port officer and local police will be responsible for taking action against such illegal services. Tourism department sources said that details of several boats suspected of using fake registration numbers—or using registration numbers belonging to other vessels—are currently under scrutiny across different parts of the State. They added that many tourists remain unaware of such malpractices. KMB officials said boat operators would be given time until July 15 to complete the mandatory registration and paperwork via the Kerala Nauka inland vessel e-portal. The misuse of fishing boats for tourism purposes will also be investigated, they added. The police sources said the support of the Tourism department would be sought to monitor the entry of illegal operators into the sector. They said that all boat owners will be required to clearly display the vessel's registration details and carrying capacity for the awareness of passengers. In Kozhikode district, the registration details of houseboats operating in the Chaliyar, Akalappuzha, and Korappuzha rivers will be examined in the first phase of the drive, they said.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Minority commission recommends immediate action to resolve dredging uncertainty at Muthalapozhi
Thiruvananthapuram: The minority commission, which took a suo motu case in the Muthalapozhi issue, directed the district administration to take urgent measures to remove the uncertainty in dredging activity and resume sand removal. A sitting was held at the commission's headquarters on Wednesday, which was headed by chairman A A Rasheed. The harbour engineering department informed the commission that dredging operations were carried out using the dredger 'Chandragiri', owned by Kerala Maritime Board, to remove the accumulated sand at the estuary and channel. However, the work was halted due to a malfunction of the dredger after more than half of the work was completed. The authorities stated that they approached the manufacturing company for repairs and were taking steps to resume dredging immediately. Expressing dissatisfaction with the uncertainty in sand removal at the estuary, the commission instructed the harbour engineering department to submit a detailed report, including the details of the contract with the company responsible for sand removal, to the commission urgently. Meanwhile, coastal police informed the commission that the estuary was currently covered with sand, making it difficult for interceptor boats and enforcement boats to conduct patrolling and rescue operations.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Kerala Maritime Board requests govt to hold stakeholder meet on Valiyathura redevelopment
Thiruvananthapuram: As part of expediting the redevelopment of Valiyathura region in the state capital, Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) requested govt to convene a stakeholders' meeting. The meeting, likely to be held under the chairmanship of ports minister V N Vasavan, aims to secure the trust of fishermen, ensuring the project proceeds without affecting their livelihoods. It would address a spectrum of concerns, ranging from fish landing infrastructure and market access to preserving the iconic Valiyathura pier and sustaining community fishing access. The proposed redevelopment spans nearly 4.5 acre of underutilised, KMB-owned land adjacent to the deteriorating pier. Once govt approves the project, KMB will call for expressions of interest (EOI) from qualified consultants and investors for a detailed proposal of the redevelopment project. Based on the proposal, KMB will prepare a report and submit it to the govt for final approval. KMB has prepared detailed preparatory work and land surveys were carried out in anticipation of the redevelopment. However, officials emphasise the importance of winning support from the fishing community before tender invitations and EOI calls can be issued. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo A senior board official highlighted that fisherfolk has a strong presence in the area and clear strategies, including alternate pathways, must be planned to avoid future conflict. According to KMB chairman N S Pillai, the preparatory work has been done. "It is not just for tourists; we need their (fisherfolk) confidence. The minister is positive about this and will hold a meeting involving fishermen, the church and local representatives. Only then will we proceed with the tender for the maritime hub," Pillai said. Meanwhile, KMB is set to invite EOIs to attract private consultants and investors who would co-develop the site under a public-private partnership (PPP). As per the announcements in Jan this year, the revised proposal includes a maritime hub concept, encompassing a fish landing centre, convention facilities, hospitality zones and museums or maritime-themed attractions. "Following EOI selection, KMB will compile a detailed report, which will then be submitted to the govt for final sanction. Subsequently, a long-term management agreement, likely up to 30 years, will be made with a private partner and a project monitoring committee will oversee coastal regulation zone compliance," Pillai added. Rehabilitation of the historic pier, estimated at Rs 20 crore, is central to the redevelopment. However, earlier such efforts under the Sagarmala scheme were shelved over a lack of funding from Centre. Nevertheless, under the PPP model, restoration of the sea bridge is expected to be bundled with other site upgrades, financed and executed by the private developer. Once slated as a busy cargo port with a 214-m-long pier built in 1956, Valiyathura lost relevance when Kochi port rose to prominence. The pier, described as a heritage structure and a landmark in the area, partly collapsed due to coastal erosion and has been closed for the past four years.
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- The Hindu
Delay in filing FIR in shipwreck case will hurt State's interest, says maritime law expert
Delay in registering an FIR in connection with the sinking of the container vessel MSC ELSA 3 will harm the interests of the State, maritime law expert V.J. Mathew has said. Mr. Mathew, vice-president of the Indian Maritime Law Association and former chairman of the Kerala Maritime Board, says for any meaningful investigation to take place into the accident, the police have to first register an FIR. According to him, the question of jurisdiction does not arise in this case as a notification issued by the Union government in June 2016 gives one police station in each coastal State jurisdiction extending to the exclusive economic zone (200 nautical miles) for investigating offences. The Fort Kochi coastal police station is the designated station for Kerala and it can register an FIR in this instance, he told The Hindu. Relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, dealing with rash and negligent navigation and acts endangering life and personal safety, the Environmental Protection Act, and the Merchant Shipping Act can be invoked in this instance. While the State government has designated the shipwreck a State-specific disaster considering its socio-economic and ecological implications, Mr. Mathew says that, in reality, all costs on account of the accident and its consequences must be recovered from the owner of the vessel. Such expenses will include the cost of organising clean-ups, removal of the drifting and beached containers, and the compensation to fishers whose livelihood has been affected. The Navy and the Coast Guard also have spent public money on the rescue effort which has to be recovered, he says. 'It is not a natural disaster. The Mercantile Marine Department has pointed to technical and operational defects,' he pointed out. He also underlined the need to make public the cargo manifest of the vessel in the interests of transparency and public safety.
