BL reported that India's deepest and multi purpose port at Gangavaram will be expanded with an investment of INR 940 crore for enhancing the cargo handling capacity and building related infrastructure like stockyards, rail tracks and pollution control measures.

Talking to reporters after visiting the port area near here, senior VP finance of Gangavaram Port Ltd Mr V Janardhana Rao said the expansion work will start from middle of June and would be completed within 24 months.

Once completed, the port's cargo handling capacity will increase from the present 16.5 million tonnes to 40 million tonnes by 2018.

He said that the port had handled 13.9 million tonnes of cargo during 2010-11 and plans to achieve 16.5 million tonnes target in the current financial year.

Stating that the port had the capacity to handle vessels up to 200,000 DWT, Mr Rao said 650 ships visited the port since its inception in August 2008.

GPL at present has five berths one each for coal and iron ore and three multipurpose ones. It is planning to add four more berths in the second phase of expansion one for coal and three multipurpose ones, he said.

(Sourced from BL)