Mr GK Vasan union minister of shipping informed the Rajya Sabha that India’s first International Container Transshipment Terminal is being created in Kochi.

It envisages development of facilities for handling mother container ships of 8000+ Twenty Feet Equivalent Units capacities. The facilities include 1800 metres berth and supporting handling equipments for annual throughput of 3 million TEU along with supporting infrastructure.

In terms of the Licence Agreement between Cochin Port Trust and India Gateway Terminal Private Ltd the terminal is to be developed in phases. Phase-I of ICTT comprises of construction of 600 metres berth and development of stacking area and other allied facilities including supporting infrastructure of 17.2 kilometer four lane National Highway connectivity from Kalamassery to Vallarpadam, rail connectivity of 8.86 kilometer from Edapally to Vallarpadam and capital dredging for deepening and widening of the approach channel and berth basin of ICCTT to provide draught of 14.5 metres.

The first phase of ICTT project along with the two lane NH connectivity, rail connectivity and capital dredging have been commissioned on February 11th 2011.

With the implementation of this project, need for transshipment of Indian containers through ports of other countries will be reduced substantially thereby resulting in reduced transportation cost and time to the trade.

The terminal will also facilitate in setting up of port based industries and their allied facilities such as Container Freight Station, Island Container Depots, and port based Special Economic Zones, transportation of cargo through Inland Waterways, Logistics, Warehousing Centers etc in the State of Kerala which will generate additional employment opportunities.