It is reported that Paradip Port Trust in Orissa has proposed to offer five berths to steel companies for captive use. Mr K Raghuramaiah chairman of PPT told FE “Many steel companies, putting up projects in 200 kilometer radius of the hinterland of the port, have approached us for captive berth. We will allot five berths in the newly developed western dock system for captive purpose.”

As per reports berths will be developed either by steel companies for their captive use or under the BOT basis in the public private partnership model for handling coal, coke, lime, stone and finished steel products.

PPT is already in the advance stage of awarding the construction of a deep draft iron ore and coal berth under the BOT scheme. The work for the Rs 1,000 crore berths with a capacity of handling 20 million tonne of cargo will be awarded this fiscal and the project is expected to be ready by March 2011.