Aggressively pursuing its expansion plans to substantially raise capacity, Paradip Port is set to have a multi-purpose berth exclusively to handle Clean Cargo and containers at a cost of Rs 387.31 crore.
“The dedicated terminal, likely to be operational by 2012, will add five million tonne capacity to the existing installed capacity of 76 million tonnes,” acting chairman of Paradip Port Trust (PPT), Mr Biplab Kumar told reporters here. He said the board of trustees of PPT have approved issue of letter of award in favour of the Consortium of Sterlite Industries (India) Limited and Leighton Contractors (India) Pvt Ltd.
The berth would be developed on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis at an estimated cost of Rs 387.31 crore of which BOT operators’ component would be Rs 329 crore, while PPT would bear an expenditure of about Rs 58 crore towards capital dredging in front of the berth, Kumar said.
The concession period would be 30 years, he said adding that on completion of the project, the port would be able to handle Clean Cargo including container in the dedicated Terminal on southern side away from the bulk handling berths on the northern part.
Expansion plans of the port are being aggressively pursued to increase the capacity to more than 135 million tonnes by 2013-14, Kumar said. Mr Kumar said PPT also proposes to construct an oil jetty at an estimated cost of Rs 192.01 crore by funding from its own internal resources. This 10-MTPA Oil Berth would cater to the requirement of the Paradip Oil Refinery.
This apart, the port is already in the process of carrying forward two other berths – a deep draft iron ore terminal and deep draft coal terminal on PPP mode at an estimated cost of Rs 591.35 crore and Rs 479.01 crore respectively, he said. The projects are likely to be completed in 2012, he said adding clearance for coastal regulation zone (CRZ) for the projects were awaited from Orissa government.
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Source: navhindtimes, July 5, 2010;