Alba Asia Pvt Ltd, which has constructed a multi-purpose general cargo berth at the Visakhapatnam port, has announced the commencement of commercial operations.
Gurpreet Singh Malhi, CEO, told reporters here on Wednesday that West Quay 6 berth with a capacity of 6 million tonnes had been built at a cost of Rs 225 crore to handle steel, granite blocks, petroleum coke, calcinated petroleum coke, LAM coke and other cargo. It is equipped with two 60 mt luffing cranes.
He said that the first vessel at the berth had arrived on Tuesday to discharge cargo - 10,000 mt of large diameter steel pipes - from the Essar group for a Telangana-based company. He said it was the first time such pipes with a diameter close to 2 meters were being handled at the Visakhapatnam port.
He said the berth length was 255 meters and the draft 15 meters, sufficient to handle fully-laden panamax vessels. There were two large twin-chute hoppers with dust control systems to prevent contamination of dry bulk cargoes.
"The terminal also has a 12-acre storage yard at a distance of 3 km, fitted with dust and pollution prevention systems. This facility will certain improve the volumes at Visakhapatnam port which have been on the decline for the past two years," he said.
Tuticorin project
Gurpreet Singh Malhi said the company was executing a 14-million tonne coal import project at Tuticorin port at a cost of Rs 650 crore and 90 per cent of the work had been completed. "We will get the terminal ready by the end of the year," he added.
Capt. Manpreet S. Jolly, regional director incharge of the Vizag terminal, said it would greatly add to the efficiency of the port which is facing stiff competition from the private ports.