A satellite-based navigation system using virtual buoys will be deployed along the Hooghly allowing ships to call on the port in Calcutta round the clock, increasing efficiency in operation and reducing logistic cost.
The virtual buoys will be placed at strategic locations on the river to allow ships to navigate the treacherous bars and bends of the 130-kilometre distance between Sagar Island and the dock system in Khidderpore.
Instead of the physical buoys with lights on top floating on the river, these virtual buoys will only exist on the computer screen of the master of the ship. As a result, the port would not have to spend money and deploy people for upkeep and protection.
The night navigation system is in place up to Haldia. It will be extended up to Calcutta, which is further upstream .
In the absence of night navigation, ships can’t leave the port after daylight. Moreover, they are unable to undertake the journey from Sagar to Calcutta at night.
“The turnaround time of the ships can be reduced at least by 8-10 hours with the night navigation, making the operation more efficient at Calcutta. Ships can sail irrespective of the time of the day or tide of the river,” Vinit Kumar, chairman of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Calcutta, said.
SMPK has appointed the Port of Antwerp and IIT Chennai to examine the deployment of virtual buoys based on satellite systems. The Belgian port, which is also a riverine port such as Calcutta, already uses the system, Kumar added.
Financials
SMPK has reported Rs 120 crore profit in the last fiscal on an operating revenue of Rs 2,627 crore. In the previous fiscal, the port had earned Rs 105 crore profit on an operating income of Rs 2,624 crore.
Throughput suffered due to lower volume of iron ore and coal. The port handled 58.175 million tonnes (mt) cargo in 2021-22, down 5.2 per cent.
Kumar expressed hope that the port would be able to get back some of the lost cargo such as iron ore and coal while getting more cargo from edible oil and LPG.
SMPK is going to undertake/award Rs 1,700 crore worth of projects this fiscal to upgrade facilities.
