Essar completes construction of Ro-Ro terminals in Gujarat
23 Oct 2017
Essar Projects, the EPC arm of Ruias-led Essar Group, on Sunday said it has completed the first phase of design and construction of the 'roll-on-roll-off' (Ro-Ro) terminals at Dahej and Ghogha ports in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Rs225 crore project, which is part of the Rs615-crore 'roll-on-roll-off' ferry service between Ghogha in Saurashtra and Dahej in south Gujarat.
The Ro-Ro ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej will help reduce travel time between Ghogha in Saurashtra and Dahej in South Gujarat, from about seven or eight hours, to just over an hour. Phase 1 of the service, inaugurated on Sunday, enables passenger movement. When fully operationalised, this ferry service will also enable movement of vehicles.
Addressing a large gathering on the occasion, the prime minister said the launch of a ferry between Ghogha and Dahej is of vital importance for the entire nation. Noting that this ferry service is a first of sorts, he said it is a dream come true for people of Gujarat.
The project for construction of the Ro-Ro terminals and supporting onshore infrastructure at Dahej and Ghogha was awarded by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), which has executed the Ro-Ro project.
"A GMB project of national significance, the Ro-Ro ferry will bring down the travel time between Gujarat's Ghogha and Dahej ports from 7 hours to just 2.5 hours," Essar Projects said.
The Ro-Ro ferry service will be able to carry about 500 passengers and 100-150 vehicles on each trip across the Gulf of Khambhat (also called Gulf of Cambay) over a 30 km (17 nautical miles) navigational channel created on the sea.
Once services commence, the ferry is expected to do four round trips every day.
"A special thanks to my team for successfully executing a project that will stand up to extreme tidal variations and inhospitable weather conditions, as also enable South Asia's first truly world-class Ro-Ro ferry service," EPC Constructions India CEO Shailesh Sawa said.
EPC Constructions India is a subsidiary of Essar Projects Ltd, said.
