Kerala: Work On Rs 169.17 Crore Cochin Fisheries Harbour Modernisation Project To Begin Soon

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala laid the foundation stone of the Modernisation and Upgradation Works of Cochin Fishing Harbour at Thoppumpady, Kerala on 11 June.

The Cochin Port Authority (CPA) would also play an important part in the project's implementation.

The government intends to completely renovate the harbour. The emphasis is on improving basic infrastructure to international standards, increasing landing centres, and modernising post-harvest facilities, including harbours, fish markets, cold storage facilities, and ice plants, to maintain high hygienic standards.

The overall project is funded through grants from Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme under the Department of Fisheries (Rs 50 crore) and the Sagarmala Project scheme of MoPSW (Rs 50 crore) and investment of the public private partnership (PPP) operator is Rs 55.84 crore.

Cochin Fishing Harbour will be modernised by March 2024.

The first stage of the project includes the construction of three air-conditioned auction halls, one non-air-conditioned hall, one fish dressing unit and other ancillary units.

Under this project, internal roads will be constructed, loading and unloading platforms will be built, a waste management area will be developed and there will be canteen facilities, drivers’ waiting area, dredging work, areas machinery and equipment etc.

The construction of four temperature-controlled auction halls of 60mx18m with mechanical retrieval and conveyance will increase the capacity of the fishing harbour by 415 tonnes of fish per day.

The Thoppumpady Harbour witnesses 10 months of fishing activity with a peak season from August to November. On average, there are about 40 to 60 boats landing in the harbour, which contributes to a catch of 250 tonnes per day. The major fish items landed at the harbour are shrimps, cuttlefish, carangids, ribbon fish, seer fish, tuna and marlins. 

"It is envisaged the export of fish and fish products will be Rs 1,500 crore per annum on completion of the project. In addition, there will be a substantial improvement in the hygienic conditions," Sonowal added.

The Cochin Harbour, which was established in 1978 on 27.86 acres of land controlled by the Cochin Port Trust, has a wharf length of 350 metres and is home to over 700 fishing vessels, including trawlers, gillnet boats, and purse seine boats.

The harbour modernisation project was unveiled in the last Union budget, which included plans to modernise not only the Cochin harbour but also those in Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Paradeep.

It is to be noted under the Sagarmala Programme of MoPSW now nine fishing harbour projects worth Rs 620 crore have been completed, benefitting 30,000 fishermen. Apart from this, the modernisation of five fishing harbours has been done at a cost of around Rs 550 crore.