Cochin Port Trust calls up KITCO to study on utilisation of dredged sand

KOCHI: Cochin Port Trust has approached KITCO to undertake a study for utilisation of dredged sand.Cochin Port Trust has been exploring methods of reducing the net expenditure on maintenance dredging.

One of the suggestions in this regard was utilization of the material from the dredging. Around 21 million cubic metres of dredged material is currently being dumped by the Port in the designated dumping ground in the sea 20 KMs from the shoreline.

The efforts to use the material for landfills or as bio-fertilizers have not succeeded so far because of the presence of heavy metals on the one side, and the problems of taking the material from the trailing suction hopper dredgers.

The Port has now decided to concentrate on the area around Puthu Vypeen where sand is available. It is estimated that around 4 million cubic metres of sand is being dredged from an area of about 5 kms in the shipping channel and dumped in the outer sea every year.