kolkata: With the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP) planning to develop an outer container terminal where ships can load/unload cargo without having to go through the lock gates, port experts fear this could pave the way for a major accident since the ship will remain vulnerable to the tidal bores in the Hooghly River.
The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port authorities had recently announced that this outer container terminal will be developed at Netaji Subhas Dock (NSD) and will be a "big project".
The project is aimed at cutting down the time a cargo-laden ship takes to come through the lock gates which open and close following a tidal timetable.
A port expert, previously associated with the Kolkata Port, requesting anonymity, said this may carry a grave risk since the Hooghly River sees massive tidal bores.
"The tidal waves in Hooghly are too strong and can easily damage a cargo ship and even destabilise it.
If this occurs while a ship is loading or unloading cargo outside the lock gates, this will amount to a massive loss in monetary terms and such an accident can also claim lives," the expert said.
Kolkata Port's Deputy Chairman Samrat Rahi told this newspaper that a detailed study is being carried out to determine the feasibility of the project.
This study involves assessing the risks posed by the tide. If the study finds no risk then the project will get a
green signal.