The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata port plans to upgrade 5 berths in Haldia Dock

The Kolkata Port Trust has embarked upon massive modernisation of five of its berths at Haldia dock, the accent being on mechanisation of operation to achieve higher productivity.

Procedure started

A beginning has already been made. A total of nine firms have responded to the notice inviting tenders and participated in pre-bid negotiations for modernisation of berth 2 and 8.

“Some changes in documentation might be needed on the basis of discussion but we have plans to complete modernisation by next year,” Mr Rajeev Dube, Deputy Chairman of KoPT in-charge of Haldia dock, told Business Line.

Essence of modernisation

The essence of modernisation, as Mr Dube explained, would be equipping the berths, with private firms supplying and operating the equipment such as mobile harbour cranes but the users of the berths would interact only with the dock authorities planning to offer an integrated service.

Berth 3 and 5

The modernisation of two other berths, number 3 and 5, too, as he pointed out, was on the anvil. “We’re examining the report submitted by Mecon for modernisation of berth number 3,” he said. For berth 5, the dock authorities, as the Deputy Chairman indicated, were mulling expansion by filling an adjacent water body.

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, has already submitted a report in this regard. Berth 5 is partly mechanical. Also there has been a de-rating of its capacity over the years. The modernisation of container berth, as he indicated, was also receiving a good deal of attention. Already RMQCs (rail-mounted quay cranes) and RTGs (rubber-tyred gantries) had been installed in the berth but much more needed to be done.

For example, tenders had been invited for acquiring on lease horizontal transportation equipment such as tractor trailers. A boundary wall would be erected around the terminal for safety. Also, the entire operation would be computerised.

Mr Dube pointed out that the existing anomalies in container handling rates too would be removed, most probably by cutting out the present arrangement of private sector participation in the supply of horizontal transportation equipment.

There is a further proposal to construct two lay-up berths where the vessels, which are ready to sail out but cannot because of the low tide, could be berthed. Currently, such vessels occupy cargo handling berths adding to the congestion problem already afflicting the dock.

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Kolkata port plans to upgrade 5 berths in Haldia Dock