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The Suez Canal officials have expressed keen interest in the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP), especially in dredging and other technical issues, navigation aspects and ancilliary facilities.
In order to benefit from the modern engineering marvels of Suez Canal and Panama Canal, and to derive lessons from their operation and performance, a delegation of Department of Shipping under the leadership of Thiru T.R. Baalu, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, is currently on a visit to the world famous canals. The delegation visited Islamia, the headquarters of Suez Canal, for wide ranging discussions on technical aspects of formation and expansion of the Canal, its maintenance and operation, tariff, socio-economic benefits, environmental impacts, pollution control managements, etc. The Minister also visited the canal systems to have first hand information about navigation, expansion plans and impact of canal on operation of small craft during transit of large ships. Consequent upon the visit of Thiru Baalu to Suez Canal, it has been decided to initiate the process for finalization of MOU between Suez Canal Authority and the proposed Sethusamudram Corporation Limited, for bilateral cooperation.
The delegation led by the Minister visited Gatun and Miraflores Locks of Panama Canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean yesterday for technical study of the operation of the locks. It may be recalled that the SSCP earlier envisaged creation of a land canal with locks, which was shelved solely due to environmental considerations. The delegation will have discussions with the second Vice President of Panama and Administrator, Panama Maritime Authority, as well as Panama Canal authorities with a view to learn from their experience on maintenance of the Canal, environmental issues and to identify possible areas of cooperation.
The Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, which will provide a continuous navigable route around India's own territorial waters, has been engaging the attention of the Government of India for more than a century, particularly after the country attained Independence. Though several studies on the techno-economical viability of the project have been commissioned from time to time, the UPA Government expressed its intent to expeditiously execute the project by including it as a priority project in the Common Minimum Programme. The Department of Shipping, Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, is in the process of obtaining necessary approvals for the project, formation of a special purpose vehicle styled Sethusamundram Corporation Limited and other preparatory works in order to fulfill the commitment given by the Government to the country by inclusion of the project in the CMP. The technical, financial and environmental issues relating to the project are also being analyzed in depth by various central Government ministries and agencies.
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