This new ICTP Port, to be located in the Galathea Bay of the Great Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, will raise India’s share in the maritime trade, create new job opportunities, and save a lot of forex which is currently being lost to foreign ports handling India’s transhipment.

The Government of India has invited quotations for development of the mega international container transhipment port (ICTP) project, with a handling capacity of 4 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first phase. However, the overall handling capacity would be augmented to 16 million TEUs in progressive phases.

While the estimated cost of construction of the entire project is INR 41,000 crores that of the first phase is INR 18,000 crores.

A highlight of the project is that the Government has decided to encourage Public-Private partnership through the Landlord mode; whereby the concessionaire shall have the flexibility to develop the storage area, container handling equipment and other such infrastructure according to concessionaire’s own market assessment.

The main factor working in favour of the project is that the natural depth available at Galathea Bay is 20 metres and hence can accommodate the latest generation of mega ships.

Doubts remain as to how successful this project will eventually be in terms of profitability and sustainability. However industry gurus detect in it a strong influence of the strategy planners of the country who see the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as a geo-political base of an India that projects itself as a super power of the future.

Marex Media