A Belgian company will provide Tk 86.43 billion for capital dredging of the Payra Port's main channel to ensure smooth operational activities of the port, officials said.
An agreement to this effect will be signed between the Payra Port Authority (PPA), which is under the ministry of shipping, and the Payra Dredging Company Limited, a venture of Belgium-based company Jean De Nul, at the secretariat in the city today (Monday).
The dredging work, a part of the 'Capital dredging and maintenance of Payra Port' project taken by the shipping ministry, will be carried out under Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the operational activities of the third seaport on August 13, 2016. It is one of the government's fast-track projects.
The government feels that capital dredging is necessary to create facility for anchoring more vessels to the Payra port.
Under the project, 40,000 deadweight tonnage of bulk carrier with 10.5 metre draft will be able to move in the channel.
The capital dredging and maintenance work will be completed in three phases with a cumulative period of 34 months, creating a 75 km-long, 100 to 125 metre-wide and 10.5 metre-deep channel in Rabnabad area of the port.
Installation of three monopoles, engineering survey, channel alignment and design and mobilisation of necessary machinery and tools will be completed in the first 14 months.
The main capital dredging in the inner and outer channels using 11 dredgers, and primary dredging of the channel of the port will be carried out in the remaining months.
The depth of Rabnabad channel will be increased to 14.5 metres gradually. The port will help contribute to the national and regional economy.
The project will facilitate the development of Industrial infrastructure in the southern part of the country, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of the country, sources said.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com