Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) has moved to dredge the existing approach channel and the various berths in order to maintain the navigational depth for cargo vessels. Along with the navigational channel, the breakwater berths and mooring dolphin areas will also be dredged as part of the contract, which is valued at Rs 13.6 crore per year.
MPA officials said that berth number 4, 5A, 6A, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, mole and breakwater berths, the turning circles, outer channel, and mooring dolphins will have to be dredged to maintain depth, MPA officials said.
“Maintenance dredging to be carried out is around 1.5 million cubic metre,” said an MPA official.
Maintenance dredging is the removal of sediment that builds up on the seafloor due to monsoon activity, tidal flows, and currents. Maintenance dredging is different from capital dredging, which is for creating new or deeper channels and berths.
The depth required varies from 8m to 14.5 mts. MPA expects loose or compacted sand, silt, boulders, spilled cargo, broken concrete pieces, metal debris, rubber tyres, etc, to be settled at the bottom of the channel which needs to be removed.
The dredged materials need to be dumped at least 3.5 nautical miles from the breakwater.
The contractor is free to take and reuse the dredged material if there is any value, but the dredging firm will have to pay MPA and take responsibility for storing the dredged material.
The works under the contract comprise dredging of sand, silt, clay gravel, and other materials and dispose of the dredged material into the designated locations.
Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) carried out the maintenance dredging work at Mormugao from 2019-20 to 2022-23 by deploying its trailing suction hopper dredger at a total contract value of Rs 61.3 crore.
