Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, today dedicated the first phase of state-of-the-art International Container Transhipment Terminal, ICTT, to the nation at Vallarpadam near Kochi. ICTT will enable exporters to access mainline container vessels calling at the port. Describing the achievement as a long awaited milestone in the development of the country's logistics infrastructure, the Prime minister said it is a symbol of how Public-Private partnership can contribute to public good.The 3200 crore rupees terminal is country's first International Terminal. He said the construction of the terminal is the centre piece of a comprehensive plan to develop Kochi as an economic and logistical hub of the region.Pointing the need to increase the use of fuel efficient, environment friendly and safe modes of transport such as inland waterways, he said this mode of transportation was very suitable for bulk, containerized and hazardous cargo.The Prime Minister said the Vallarpadam container terminal symbolizes the keen interest of United Arab Emirates in investing in India and in promoting stronger business and people to people ties between the two countries.The Prime Minister also inaugurated road and rail connectivity and allied infrastructure of the Vallarpadam project.The project area has been declared as Special Economic Zone.A link road has been built to connect Vallaarpadam with National highway 47 and 17. The Railways Vikas Nigam Ltd has completed the 8.5 km rail link that connects the terminal to the railway network.Later Prime Minister left for Thiruvananthapuram.The new International Container Transshipment Terminal constructed at Vallarpadam has a quay length of 600 meters, with state of the art container handling equipment. In the first phase, the terminal has a capacity to handle ten lakh containers a year. The union government has invested 1617 crore rupees for the project to set up rail and road connectivity, besides dredging the channel to facilitate the entry of mother vessels to Cochin Port.