THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The proposed Vizhinjam port project is poised to get a big fillip as Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) is installing a Bollard Pull Test facility at Vizhinjam in association with Kerala Port Department. The facility can be utilised for testing ships of up to 500T pulling capacity. This is the highest capacity bollard pull test facility in India and one amongst the highest in the world. Excise and Ports Minister K Babu will dedicate the facility on September 23 at 4 p m. He will also lay the foundation stone for the water supply and sanitation facility on the occasion. At present, the maximum capacity for a Bollard Pull Test facility available in India is 200T. The upcoming facility at Vizhinjam can cater to the requirements of Kerala Port Department, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and also ships calling at Indian ports in addition to ships built at CSL. Bollard Pull test is conducted to determine the static pull that a tug / ship is capable of exerting under practical operating conditions with its own propulsion system. The test is performed by tying a hawser from ship to a fixed bollard at shore and measure the pull of the ship in tonnes under maximum operating conditions by means of a Load cell(dynamometer) arranged between the hawser and bollard. All the newly- constructed tugs and special offshore ships like Anchor handling Tug supply vessels need to carry out this test prior to delivery in presence of shipowners and classification society for practically proving its pulling power. Further, existing ships after undergoing extensive repairs have to undergo this test. Vizhinjam was selected by CSL for installing the facility on account of its inherent advantage of higher water depth close to shore. The first of the series of vessels undergoing acceptance trials at CSL will be tested at Vizhinjam henceforth.
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