Govt aims to create 3200 MT Port Capacity by 2020: Vasan [Feb 2012]

The government plans to augment the port capacity to around 3,200 million tonnes by attracting investments of Rs.2.87 lakh crore by 2020. While addressing the valedictory function of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Paradip Port Trust at Paradip in Odisha, the Shipping Minister GK Vasan said, "The Government aims to create a port capacity of around 3200 MT by attracting investments to the tune of Rs.2.87 lakh crore to handle the expected traffic of about 2500 MT by 2020 and bring Indian ports on a par with the best international ports in terms of performance and capacity".

Today, the capacity of Indian ports, including 13 Centre-owned major and about 200 non-major ports, is little over 1,000 mt at present. The 13 major ports are Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore, Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin, Kandla and Port Blair.

Commenting on the expansion plans at Paradip Port Mr. Vasan informed, "The port had embarked upon an ambitious plan to enhance its capacity to 251 MMTPA by taking up several capacity addition projects, strengthening the rail-road connectivity, and mechanising / modernising the existing facilities to meet the requirement of industries". Paradip Port has handled 56 MT of traffic during 2010-11 comprising of 31.22 million tonnes of import cargo and 24.81 million tonnes of export cargo.
Some of the capacity addition projects include Rs.293 crore project for deepening of channel to create an additional 5 MTPA capacity and construction of a deep draught iron ore berth and coal berth on BOT basis at a cost of Rs.1,070 crore, to add 20 MTPA capacity.

He further stated that the Indian Oil Corporation was establishing a Refinery of 15 MMTPA capacity and a mega Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Paradip. The construction of 2nd and 3rd Single Point Mooring by IOCL at an estimated cost of Rs.1492.33 crore, with a capacity of 22 MMTPA is underway. Under private sector participation, one 12 MMTPA integrated pelletisation facility at Paradip based on its strategic locational advantage for importing coal and other raw materials, and exporting pellets through Paradip Port is also being set up.

Some of the major projects that have been scripted for execution in the future include construction of western dock system at an estimated cost of Rs.2822 crore which is envisaged to create a capacity of 75 MMTPA, mechanisation of east quay at an estimated cost of Rs.917 crore, leading to a capacity addition of 14 MMTPA.

On completion of above projects, the capacity of Paradip Port would reach 251 million metric tonnes per annum by the year 2020, the Minister added.

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