The Hindu Business Line : Paradip port extension to be over by year-end

THE work on the extension and strengthening of Paradip Port's existing iron ore berth, now in progress, is expected to be over by the end of the current year, according to a spokesman of Paradip Port Trust (PPT). Estimated to cost around Rs 12 crore, the work, when completed, will help the port authorities handle larger ore vessels (with longer LOA and wider beams).

The present work involves extension of the berth from the present 155 metres to 205 metres. Subsequently, the depth of the basin in front of the berth too will be increased so that vessels requiring draft up to 14 metres could be handled.

Right now, the permissible draft is 12.8 metres in the berth, which therefore can handle bulk carriers with full load up to the capacity of 65,000 dwt. The plan is to handle vessels with full load up to the capacity of 75,000/80,000 dwt.

Meanwhile, the expenditure finance committee (EFC) of the Union Government is believed to have cleared PPT's proposal for deepening the approach channel to the port at an estimated cost of Rs 153 crore. The clearance of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs is now awaited.

The job, to take about a year or so to complete, will involve dredging of the channel over a length of two km at an estimated Rs 128 crore and the installation of navigational aids, it is learnt.

Once the approach channel has been deepened to improve the draft from the present 12.8 metres to 16 metres, it should be possible for the port to handle 125,000 dwt capacity vessels, as compared to 65,000 dwt vessels as at present.

The completion of the work will not only benefit the existing coal berth, ore berth and the oil jetty, but also the deep draft berth proposed to be constructed on the BOT basis, adds the spokesman.

It might be noted that Ennore Port, which is the unloading port for thermal coal being brought by the coastal route for Tamil Nadu Electricity Board's plant, can now handle coal ships with full load up to the capacity of 77,000 dwt, while Paradip, which is the loading port for the same traffic, can handle vessels up to 65,000 dwt because of the limited navigability of the channel.

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