Essar Ports Limited, a subsidiary of USD27 billion Essar Group and one of the largest private sector port companies in India, has commissioned a 16 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) dry bulk terminal at Paradip.
With the commissioning, the aggregate handling capacity of Essar Ports has been increased to 104MMTPA.
Essar Ports has been granted license to Paradip Port Trust operate the terminal until 2020, with a provision to extend the license period by further five years.
With this commission, the company is also planning to expand its aggregate facility to 158MMTPA.
"The project involved the upgradation and mechanization of the existing 230 metre CQ3 berth at Paradip with installation of a fully mechanised ship loading system with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per hour. It is an all-weather terminal with a capability to handle large ships," Essar Ports said in a release.
The terminal is connected to the stockyard by a nine kilometre conveyor system with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per hour. The stockyard has also been equipped with two reclaimers with a capacity of 2,500 tonnes per hour each.
Rajiv Agarwal, managing director of Essar Ports Limited, said: "This is our first project on the east coast of India and is a modern facility with best in class capabilities. The terminal will help achieve better handling rates, improve efficiencies with faster turn-around time for ships and would benefit the Paradip Port and its customers."
The terminal will handle iron ore pellets for its anchor customer, Essar Steel, which has commissioned a pellet plant of six MMTPA. The terminal would also be used by other users for the movement of their dry bulk cargos.
The terminal is well connected with excellent road and rail.
Apart from the Paradip Terminal, Essar Ports operates two all-weather ports at Hazira and Vadinar. The Hazira port is a deep-draft port with 30MMTPA of dry bulk and break bulk cargo handling capacity and Vadinar is also a deep-draught port with 58MMTPA of liquid cargo handling capacity.
Essar Ports is also currently developing a 14MMTPA coal terminal at Paradip as well as setting up a dry bulk terminal at Salaya with a capacity of 20MMTPA. Additionally, the company plans to expand its Hazira port capacity by 20MMTPA — taking its capacity to 50MMTPA.
J Kanojia