BS reported that Gopalpur Port Limited, a seasonal port being operated by a private consortium aims to handle about 5 million tonne of cargo in this year’s shipment season compared to 3 million tonne recorded last year.

Mr Manmohan Maharana director of Gopalpur Port Limited said that The port expects to achieve the target despite the prevailing economic recession which has resulted in a slump in cargo handling by the major ports in the country. The targeted 5 million tonne of cargo of GPL includes import of 3.5 million tonne of urea and exports of 1.5 million tonne of ilmenite, a mineral product of Indian Rare Earths Limited. As we have targeted to export ilmenite and import urea which is meant for the farmers, we think there would be no impact of the global recession on our business.

As per report, Gopalpur Port Limited has opened its traffic from Saturday with the potash loading ship anchor in the port located at Arjeepalli, near Chhatrapur in Ganjam district. GPL is also confident of developing the seasonal port into a major port within the stipulated time.

The port however is yet to get the environmental clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests. GPL, the consortium comprising Orissa Stevedores Limited, Sara International Limited and Singapore based Noble Group Limited is developing the seasonal port into an all weather port on a BOOT basis with an investment of around INR 1,700 crore.

Mr Moharana said that "The first phase of construction work for the port has been almost completed and we hope the second phase of the port to be commissioned in the next 2 years."