The Centre’s Private-Public-Partnership Appraisal Committee comprising Secretary (Expenditure), Secretary (law), Secretary (Planning) and Secretary (Shipping) has cleared Kolkata Port Trust’s (KoPT’s) Rs. 1,700-crore expansion plan, though the port’s cargo handling is witnessing a declining trend and handling agents scrambling and fighting for share of cargo.KoPT’s Manager of Shipping A K Bose said the expansion would be executed through construction of Haldia Dock-2 (North and South) with four jetties having a capacity to handle 11.7 million tonne of cargo per annum.
He said the berths will have mobile harbour cranes and grab unloaders for mechanised handling. The berths are expected to become operational by 2016. The port authorities floated the request for qualification (RFQ) before the Appraisal Committee when 15 parties responded.
“We will shortly float the request for proposal (RFP) following which the technical and final bids will be floated,” Mr. Bose added.
He said the port is developing the facility mainly with an eye on the thermal coal cargo, which is expected to rise to 40 million tonne by 2020, with NTPC coming up with its Navinagar and Barh thermal power plants. The dock-2 facility currently has an available draught (depth and tidal rise) of 9 metres, which is more or less dredging-free at present. The new facility will be able to handle 13.5 metre long Panamax vessels with parcel size ranging between 30,000 tonne and 42,000 tonne.
Mr. Bose said the new capacity is being added in view of an 8.5% GDP growth, which enables more trade, and furthermore, a port should have 30% excess capacity.
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