Sunday, December 24 2006
NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
CHENNAI: Highways and Ports Minister M P Swaminathan on Friday said that a thermal power plant, an oil refinery and a ship building yard would come up within a distance of eight km from the Cuddalore Port soon.
Speaking at the eighth meeting of the Maritime States Development Council at Cochin, the Minister said a thermal power plant of 1,320 MW capacity, requiring approximately 3.50 million metric tonnes of coal per annum, would be established near Cuddalore.
Besides, an oil refinery which would import 6 million metric tonnes of crude oil and export 2.50 million metric tonnes of petroleum products per annum would also be established.
Apart from these, a ship building yard, which would build ships of size between 45,000 DWT to 75,000 DWT, would be established, the Minister added.
The Minister also pointed out that the economy of the State would witness a boom owing to the Sethusamudram project and the ongoing development works at Colachel, Cuddalore, Cheyyur, Nagapattinam and Rameswaram Ports.