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Gaurav Raghuvanshi

Ahmedabad , May 4

KANDLA Port, which has 11 operational cargo berths, has embarked on a major expansion drive and plans to add nine berths over five years.

While the port is in the process of building the 12th berth, its board has approved the construction of the 13th and 14th berths through internal resources and another four berths on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis with private agencies.

With the expansion, the port hopes to double its cargo handling that stayed flat at 41.54 million tonnes during 2004-05. The port handled 41.52 million tonnes of cargo in the previous year.

The 11th and 12th berths will be dedicated container berths, which, along with a container terminal, will be operated by ABG Heavy Industries Ltd. The 13th and 14th berths will be ready in three years and will cost Rs 98 crore.

Simultaneously, the Kandla Port Trust will begin the groundwork on the four berths to be constructed on BOT basis and two parallel berths by the port itself at a new location at an estimated cost of Rs 230 crore.

"We realised that public-private participation is the best way to grow. We will be able to add nearly 2,000 metres of berth length through a combination of our own efforts and by roping in the private sector," the Kandla Port Chairman, Mr A. Janardhana Rao, told Business Line.

The new satellite port will come up near Tuna, which is outside the Kandla creek. It is proposed to have two parallel berths that would be able to handle two million tonnes per annum of multi-purpose cargo.

Kandla plans to enter into an agreement with Iffco for the first phase of the project. Later, additional berths would be added to the facility.

"The draught available within the Kandla creek has limitations. But the new facility will enable us to achieve draught of up to 16 metres and we will be able to handle even post-Panamax vessels of up to 90,000 tonnes displacement," Mr Rao said.

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