The INR 3,200 crore Dhamra Port in Orissa, a 50:50 joint venture between TATA Steel and Larsen & Toubro is ready and will go operational next month.

A top company official said that Dhamra Port Company Limited has so far invested INR 2,900 crore out of the total project cost of INR 3,239 crore and almost 100% work on the project has been completed.

Mr Santosh Mohapatra CEO of Dhamra Port Company' said that told PTI that "The port is now ready. It will go operational in April this year. We have completed 100% work of the port including the construction work for the 62 kilometer rail link from Dhamra to Bhadrak on the main Howrah-Chennai line.”

Situated between Haldia and Paradip, the port at Dhamra will be the deepest of India with a draught of 18 meters, which can accommodate super Capesize vessels up to 180,000 DWT.

DPCL has recently entered into a sister port relationship agreement with the US based Port of Seattle. The pact is aimed at exchange of information on port users, technology transfer and sharing of best practices between the two ports.

The port, which aims to serve industries in Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, would initially deal with bulk cargo like coal, iron-ore, chromite, bauxite and steel.

(Sourced from PTI)