Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) here is facing stiff competition from private dredging companies and is gearing up to meet the challenge by adding to its fleet, according to Mr P.V. Ramana Murthy, acting Chairman and Managing Director.

DCI is expecting three more dredgers and the addition is likely to improve its revenues substantially.

Attrition problem

He said DCI was facing the problem of attrition, “as the private, foreign dredging companies are attracting our experts with higher status and better pay packets.”

Still, he said, efforts were being made to motivate the workforce and achieve excellent results. He said DCI had entered into a revised contract with Kolkata Port Trust for carrying out maintenance dredging at Haldia on a daily hire basis.

Kolkata port trust

Currently, six trailer suction hopper dredgers and one cutter suction dredger are at work at Haldia. Necessary support services would be provided to the project.

Vizag rock dredging

DCI has deployed a cutter suction dredger, received from Mazagaon Dock recently, at Visakhapatnam port to carry out rock dredging. “The new CSD along with another old dredger are at work in the port on a daily hire basis,” he said.

Paradip port trust

DCI completed substantial portion of capital dredging at Paradip port and handed over the outer an inner channels to the port.

Capital dredging in Ennore

It also commenced capital dredging work for Ennore port in February. The work is continuing with a trailer suction hopper dredger and a cutter suction dredger Aquarius is to be deployed shortly at the port to carry out the remaining work.

Kochi port

He said DCI secured a three-year maintenance dredging contract from Kochi port and the work started recently.

Two trailer suction hopper dredgers are to be deployed at the port continuously for the next three years at the port.

Dredging at the Southern Naval Command at Kochi for the last year had been completed, he said.

Maintenance

Maintenance dredging at Goa for the last two years had been completed and capital dredging was in progress, he said.

Maintenance dredging at the New Mangalore Port Trust for the last two years had been completed.

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