Cochin Port set stage to two important events on Sunday, 18th April 2021 – loaded first coastal tank containers from BPCL-Kochi Refinery to Hazira, Gujarat and facilitated first ever seaplane bunkering.
The first coastal consignment of two tank containers carrying acrylic acid from BPCL-Kochi Refinery for Hazira port, Gujarat were loaded on board m.v. SSL Vishakhapatanam from ICTT Vallarpadam of Cochin Port. The coastal shipping of hazardous cargo like acrylic acid, marks the modal shift of transportation of tank containers from road to sea mode. This is a major step towards promotion of Coastal shipping being encouraged by Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Govt of India under the sagarmala scheme. The consignees are Visen Industries – Silvasa and Rossari Biotech – Bharuch, Gujarat. Avana Logistek Ltd, a Transworld Group company was the logistics partner.
Seaplane Bunkering starts at Cochin Port
In a first of its kind event at a Major Port, SpiceJet seaplane berthed at Cochin Port at 1130 hrs on 18/04/2021 for refueling enroute to Male, Maldives. This paves way for Cochin Port to position itself as a seaplane bunkering port. The seaplane which arrived from Goa, left for Maldives at 1245 hrs after bunkering 975 lts of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), besides stocking essential items on board. Indian Oil Aviation supplied the bunker (ATF) for the seaplane.
From being the leader in bunkering ocean going crafts, Cochin Port has now forayed into seaplane bunkering business also. Cochin Port was, incidentally, the first Major Port in India to start LNG Bunkering in February 2015.
