Location
India / Asia Pacific
Project record
Sagar-Eastern Channel capital dredging
SMPK is testing a three-stage capital-dredging programme between Sagar and the Eastern Channel to receive vessels up to 13.5 m draft. An IIT Madras/NTCPWC study developed an alternative alignment and phased quantities, while a May 2026 global EOI asked dredging firms for equipment, geotechnical needs, channel-profile comments and approximate cost. The response deadline was extended to 18 June 2026, but no subsequent global RFQ, award or contractor is public.
Segment
Port infrastructure
Status
SMPK completed a non-binding global market EOI for phased capital dredging; a formal RFQ, works award and dredging contractor are not verified / Confirmed
Last checked
1 August 2026
Coverage
Related sectors
Port infrastructure is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.
Subject index
Related subjects
These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.
Project anatomy
Contract scope and delivery roles
- Client / authority
- Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata
- Delivery parties
- National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts, IIT Madras - feasibility-study consultant under project IC24251236CPSPMPNTPHOC; principal investigator K Murali, Capital-dredging contractor or consortium - no formal RFQ or award verified by 1 August 2026, Dredging subcontractors, support-craft providers and disposal specialists - not disclosed
- Contract route
- SMPK issued non-binding EOI MRN/SDDS/CDE/Capital Dredging/865 on 12 May 2026 for prospective national and international bidders. Responses were to provide dredging experience, profile comments, geotechnical-data requirements, proposed equipment and approximate cost. Addendum 2 extended submission to 18 June and opening to 19 June and stated that a revised BOQ was uploaded. The EOI says SMPK may finalize parameters and issue a global RFQ, but it does not commit SMPK to proceed and is not a works tender or award.
- Execution window
- The IIT Madras ledger lists the feasibility study from 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2025. SMPK's EOI envisages cumulative delivery of 11.5 m draft in 12 months, 12.5 m in 24 months and 13.5 m in 36 months. Those are study-stage phase durations, not an awarded construction programme or notice-to-proceed schedule.
- Works package
- Capital dredging and associated re-siltation allowance along the shipping channel from Sagar toward the Eastern Channel. SMPK's headline phases rise from 12.57 million m3 including re-siltation for 11.5 m draft to 33.09 million m3 for 12.5 m and 61.72 million m3 for 13.5 m. The EOI evaluates ten dredging zones on the SMPK alignment and nine on the IIT alignment, a 400 m approach-channel width, 1,500 m anchorages, 1,300 m emergency anchorages and two proposed disposal grounds near the 7 m and 12 m contours.
- Marine interfaces
- The Hooghly estuary carries tidal currents of roughly 2-5 knots and contains crossings, bars, shoals and sand encroachments. SMPK records a least available Sagar-region depth of 6.4 m at Upper Middleton. Final delivery therefore depends on alignment, under-keel clearance, dredging depth, re-siltation, emergency anchorage geometry, disposal routing, phased dredger deployment and accepted hydrographic evidence rather than nominal draft alone.
- Commercial evidence boundary
- The IIT Madras sanctioned consultancy value is INR 23.60 lakh, or INR 2.36 million, and must not be presented as dredging capex. The 2026 EOI requests approximate project cost from respondents but publishes no accepted price, bidder list or award. No primary record located by 1 August 2026 names the capital-dredging contractor, consortium, fleet provider or subcontractor.
Project timeline
Material developments
Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.
Open this project in the Change LogSMPK extended the capital-dredging EOI and revised the BOQ
The response deadline moved to 18 June with opening on 19 June. The addendum confirms continued market engagement but does not convert the EOI into a binding works procurement.
SourceSMPK opened global market sounding for phased capital dredging
The EOI published two alignment options, staged quantities up to 13.5 m draft, dredging zones, anchorage geometry and disposal areas while asking industry to propose equipment, data needs and cost.
SourceIIT Madras identified the owner-side deep-draft feasibility study
The consultancy ledger attributes project IC24251236CPSPMPNTPHOC to K Murali for SMPK, with a 2024-25 assignment window and INR 23.60 lakh sanctioned value. It does not identify a works contractor.
SourceEvidence gap
What remains unverified
Outstanding evidence
- Publication of the global RFQ or another formal procurement notice
- Selection between the SMPK and IIT Madras channel alignments
- Geotechnical campaign and final sediment classification
- Guaranteed-depth, re-siltation and payment mechanism
- Tendered phase boundary, quantities and disposal-ground conditions
- Bidder list, preferred bidder and signed capital-dredging contract
- Dredger fleet, support craft and local subcontractor disclosures
- Environmental and disposal approvals for the 7 m and 12 m contour grounds
- Mobilisation, phased hydrographic acceptance and release for deeper-draft vessels
Sources and related records
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Source collections
Project sources 4
- Ongoing consultancy projects as of 31 March 2025 Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 31 March 2025
- EOI for capital dredging from Sagar to the Eastern Channel Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, 12 May 2026
- Addendum 1 with pre-EOI discussion details Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, 21 May 2026
- Addendum 2 extending the EOI and revising the BOQ Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, 11 June 2026