The trials will explore the feasibility of the proposed India-Middle East EU Economic Corridor (IMEC) project, while also checking on associated rail links connecting with these ports.
The feasibility studies will also identify rail connectivity gaps and possible solutions to streamline them. The focus will also be on the nature of cargo that will move on the corridor, the expected volume and other associated factors. The trial runs will give an analysis of the target traffic, infrastructure gaps, operational and regulatory procedures, tangible (cost & time) and intangible benefits. The cargo types initially planned is containers, with further expansion into dry bulk, liquid bulk (except POL). Volume identification is under study.
The shortlisted ports along the western coast of India include Kandla and Mundra (in Gujarat) and JNPA; and they are proposed to be connected to Jebel Ali, Fujairah or Abu Dhabi in the UAE. “So one port in India and another in the Middle East will be shortlisted for the trial runs. The shortlisting process is under-way,” the official added.
According to the original plan of IMEC, all the three Indian ports will be connected through sea routes to Fujairah, Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi in the east, followed by the rail-road link through Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This route will further extend to Europe in the west by the port of Haifa in Israel, and along with the ports in Marseille in France, Messina in Italy and Piraeus in Greece.
