September 08, 2008

KPT shortlists 11 PSUs to develop 4 berths at Tuna port

Exim News Service reported that Kandla Port Trust has shortlisted 11 companies in the private sector for the development of 4 new berths with an investment of INR 500 crore, at its barge handling facility at the satellite port of Tuna as a part of 12 new berths at Tuna.

Mr A Janardhana Rao chairman of KPT said that "These 4 jetties, which would have a capacity to handle 8 million tonnes of cargo, would be built through public private partnership on build own transfer model. These are all multinational companies with whom KPT would have a revenue-sharing arrangement. The expansion proposal is now awaiting the final nod from the cabinet committee on economic affairs, which is likely to come by October 2007."

Tuna port’s draught is proposed to be made about 17.8 metres, to enable big ships to bring cargo. The draught at Kandla Port, which is 12 metres, is to be dredged to 13.5 meters by the end of 2008.

The development of Kandla Port’s container terminals is being done by Mumbai based firm ABG. Along with the jetties, ABG has been entrusted with the development of 42 hectares of back up area. Two new product jetties and one single buoy mooring for ships carrying crude oil are being developed at Vadinar port, which is also part of Kandla Port. The project cost is estimated at INR 1,000 crore.

Kandla Port has 12 jetties both for dry cargo as well as liquid. It became the number 1 port in India on August 31st 2007, with a huge volume of 25.87 million tonnes of cargo. KPT is also starting work on its port based special economic zone spread over an area of 5,000 hectares around Kandla Port itself.