Orissa's Dhamra Port, a TATA Steel and L&T joint venture that became commercially operational on May 7 this year, has received the first Capesize vessel.

China Steel Responsibility, the 180,000 DWT capacity bulk carrier flying Chinese flag, brought around 150,000 tonnes of coal from Australia for TATA Steel.

This was the largest bulk carrier ever to call at any of the ports in Orissa and West Bengal.

The port, it might be noted, has two berths of 350 metres each and has presently a handling capacity of 25 million tonnes a year. The 18 km long channel leading to the port has a depth of 18 metres enough to handle vessels up to 180,000 DWT.

The first cargo ship was berthed at Dhamra port on September 18, 2010. It was a trial run. Since then, the port has handled 20 ships including the present Capesize one.

With the commencement of rail movement to and from the port from May, as many as 94 full rakes (each rake consists of 59 wagons) of cargo have been dispatched out of the port to various locations.

(Sourced from BL)