Cochin Port Trust is offering 100 acres within the Special Economic Zone on Puthuvype Island for development of bunkering services, which is now growing at 20 per cent in Kochi.
A statement issued by the port authority here on Tuesday said the port had successfully conducted a trial on LNG bunkering on February 25. The press release claimed the effort “creditable” considering that the USA carried out its first trial on (LNG) bunkering at the port of Fourchon, Louisiana in February.
The achievements of Kochi in bunkering services will be highlighted at the second edition of ‘Destination Cochin 2015 - International Bunkering Conference’, hosted by Cochin Port Trust. The event will be held here on May 15 at Hotel Crowne Plaza. The first international bunkering conference was held here on May 15, 2014 and the event brought together decision-makers from various bunker business houses across India, who shared their thought and experience during the conference. The bunker industry has grown substantially in Kochi.The tax rates in vogue here are the lowest with VAT at 0.5 per cent for foreign-going vessels and at five per cent for coastal vessels, the press release said.
