Paradeep port to commission multi-purpose berth by March 2019

The berth, capable of handling clean cargo including containers, is estimated to cost Rs 431 c

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Paradeep Port Trust (PPT) expects to commission its proposed multi-purpose berth by March 2019. The berth, capable of handling clean cargo including containers, is estimated to cost Rs 430.78 crore.

PPT has already inked a concession agreement in March last year with Paradip International Cargo Terminal Pvt Ltd (PICT). It is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by United Liner Agencies India Pvt Ltd which is a part of J M Baxi Group for construction/development of a multipurpose berth through public private partnership (PPP) mode on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis in order to cater to the container traffic and clean cargo at Paradip port.

The non-hazardous and dust free cargoes including iron and steel products, aluminum ingots, pig iron, finished fertilisers, food grains, sugar (both raw and finished) would be handled effectively and efficiently in the multi-purpose berth.

The concessionaire would be responsible for financing, designing, construction, commissioning of the project along with operation, management and maintenance under the concession agreement. The concession period is 30 years.

Of the total estimated cost of Rs 430.78 crore, the contribution by the BOT operator is Rs 356.54 crore while PPT's component is Rs 74.24 crore towards capital dredging.

The draught of the proposed berth will be 16 metres with a length of 450 metres, which will facilitate handling of Capesize vessels up to 1,25,000 DWT (dead weight tonnage). The berth will be equipped with modern and efficient machineries equipment like mobile harbour cranes, rubber tyre gantry cranes, reach stackers and forklifts/payloaders. n completion of construction, five million tonne of cargo per annum shall be added to the capacity of the port.

PPT's ongoing projects also includes a deep draught iron ore berth to be built at a cost of Rs 740.19 crore. This berth, to be commissioned on BOT basis, is expected to be ready by March 2019. Besides this, the port is taking up mechanisation of EQ-I, EQ-II and EQ-III basis at an estimated cost of Rs 1,437.67 crore.