BL reported that the formal inauguration of Odisha's Dhamra Port, JV between TATA Steel and Larsen & Toubro, will take place on Sunday.

Odisha chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik will do the inauguration, Mr K Mohandas secretary ministry of shipping, and senior officials of the joint venture partners are likely to be present on the occasion.

Built at a cost of about INR 3,500 crore, Dhamra port handled the first vessel in September last year. The vessel unloaded about 22,000 tonnes of imported coking coal for TATA Steel. The commercial operation started this year May when the rail connectivity was established and the rake movement to and from the port began. Since then the port has handled more than 50 vessels, 500 rakes and about 2.5 million tonnes of imported coking coal,

The port is now geared to handle export for the first time. Barring unforeseen development, the first export shipment of iron ore should take place in the New Year.

Two rakes, each carrying about 3,000 tonnes of iron ore for export, have already arrived at the port and another 23 rakes totaling about 70,000 tonnes or so are due to arrive in the next few weeks, it is learnt.

(Sourced from BL)