“Currently a jetty with 5 metre (m) draft is serving for berthing of inter-island vessels of 4.00 m draft…The feasibility study for developing Atlanta bay major Harbour is under process,” an official statement said.
The Atlanta bay has a natural draft of 19/20 and is just 50m distance in sea. There is availability of Natural break and is well connected by road. Also, sufficient land can be reclaimed from the sea. This transshipment hub is on the route from East and North East India to East and South East Asia, Australia-New Zealand countries. It is also on the route of coal, sand and other construction materials such as iron ore to Bangladesh and Myanmar, the statement added.
Once operationalized, the Bulk Cargo Transshipment Port will be economically beneficial for India country and its neighbours. The proposed port is 565 kilometres (kms) from Yangoon, 765 kms from Sittwe, 1000 kms from Chittagong, 1100 kms from Kolkata, 1000 kms from Barisal and 80 kms from the Coco Island (the Chinese Defence base).
“Considering its strategic location, in the northern side of A&N Islands, a 10 m draft harbour is essential to promote high-end tourism and other essential purposes,” the statement said.
There are 58 projects worth Rs 7,622 Crores in Andaman and Nicobar that are being monitored under Sagarmala programme.
