Govt invites EOIs for Rs 41,000 cr International Container Transhipment Port in Great Nicobar Island (GNI).

January 30, 2023

As part of holistic development of GNI, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) has invited Expression of Interest for building ICTT at Galathea Bay.
- In 2021, entire Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was denotified to make way for ICTT. It is India’s nesting site for giant leatherback turtles.
- Kolkata-based Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port is nodal agency for implementation.
Transhipment port is a hub that handles voluminous cargo between multiple vessels. Cargo at these ports is transported away to another port, rather than being shipped inland via rail, road or waterway.
Salient features of ICTT
- Strategic location in terms of proximity (40 nautical miles from Malacca Strait) to International Trade Route (Singapore, Colombo).
- Availability of natural water depth of more than 20 meters.
- Potential to capture transhipment cargo from all ports in proximity including domestic ones.
Significance of ICTT
- Reduce logistics inefficiencies and push to allied businesses such as ship supplies and repair, warehousing etc.
- Save US $200-220 million a year on transhipment cargo.
- Create an opportunity to become a large hub for Asia-Africa, Asia-US/Europe container traffic trade.
Great Nicobar Island is southernmost of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indira Point on southern tip of this Island is India’s southernmost point.