Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 18 (ANI): After the Centre imposed a wheat export ban, large numbers of trucks laden with wheat got stuck at other ports. But the scene is completely different in Kolkata's Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port where officials are preparing to export 4,000 Tonnes of wheat ahead of the May 13 export deadline.

Kolkata Dec 18 PTI An unidentified pedestrian died on Saturday after a container loaded with fly ash lost control and fell on him in front of the state secretariat in neighbouring Howrah a police officer said A crane from the Kolkata Port was pressed into service to pull out the man from under the vehicle He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead he added PTI SCH MM MM

Kolkata Nov 17 PTI Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port formerly Kolkata Port Trust will carry out pre-feasibility studies for seaplane operations that can give a boost to the tourism sector in West Bengal an official said on Wednesday The port authorities have proposed to conduct these studies in four-five locations such as Kolkata Kalyani Sundarbans and Digha in the state he said We have been entrusted by the Shipping Ministry to carry out the feasibility studies for seaplane operations A meeting was held on Tuesday with Minister of State for Ports Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar told PTI The report will be submitted to the Shipping Ministry and subsequently forwarded to the Civil Aviation Ministry for its consideration the official said The West Bengal government had in 2020 sent a proposal to the Civil Aviation Ministry conveying its wish to begin seaplane operations in Digha a seaside resort town in Purba Medinipur district in the state The government has improved infrastructure of the town that attracts a large number of tourists every year another official said The state government is also trying to bring investment in the seaplane segment in order to attract more tourists to West Bengal which will ultimately help the local economy Sundarbans is also a tourist destination but it requires improved infrastructure to match up with international standards for seaplane operations the official added PTI BSM BDC BDC

Kolkata Oct 25 PTI In a first a long-range marine communication system which will remain effective during storms and inclement weather conditions was on Monday introduced by Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port the erstwhile Kolkata Port Trust an official said Radio over Internet Protocol ROIP system will cover the entire Hooghly river estuary from Kolkata having base stations at four locations This is the much-needed solution for providing long-range marine communication and with this facility vessels at Sandheads can be directly communicated via radio from Kolkata especially during storms and inclement weather the port official said With this technology now one can directly communicate with a ship at Sandheads even through a walkie talkie covering a distance of 230 km from Kolkata SMP chairman Vinit Kumar told PTI He said the new communication system will help improve safety management for the port and its transloading activities PTI BSM BDC BDC

Kolkata Oct 17 PTI For the first time Kolkata Port has successfully handled ship-to-ship STS lighterage operation of Liquid Petroleum Gas LPG of BPCL at Sandheads a port official said Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port said the first-ever STS operation of LPG in the Indian Coast was undertaken by Bharat Petroleum on October 15 and a quantity of 23051 MT of cargo was transferred to the daughter vessel in 17 hours The mother vessel MT Yushan with a parcel load of 44551 MT cargo carried out the STS operation with daughter vessel MT Hampshire at Sandheads For BPCL this ship-to-ship lighterage operation under Haldia Dock System will save time by 7-9 days and USD 350000 approximately Rs 26 crore per voyage The instant STS operations are expected to open new business potential not only for the countrys oldest riverine major port but also benefit the trade and country as a whole in terms of saving substantial foreign exchange port chairman Vinit Kumar said The single-port handling would not only enable to overcome draft restriction at Haldia negating dead freight but also help in mobilisation of more cargo there by reducing unit costs he said Import of LPG from the port had more than doubled in the last five years PTI BSM MM MM