Maiden voyage of consignment of finished steel through Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route flagged off

The maiden voyage of barges with a consignment of finished steel products of Tata Steel was flagged off from Haldia to Pandu (in Assam) through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBP Route) by Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Minister of Ayush on Wednesday.

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The voyage showcases multimodal movement of cargo along with harnessing of the power of river–sea combination. The consignment of steel products arrived at Haldia Dock Complex through the rail mode; were loaded onto barges at berth no 11 operated by TMILL (Tata Martrade International Logistics Limited) who organised movement of the cargo and loading at their berth. Ocean Whale Services will operate the barges for the voyage, said a press statement.

Customs have given special permission to move this cargo on this route on priority. The barges will be flagged off and will move from Haldia to IWAI Pandu terminal in Assam. The barges will move along the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route which utilises NW-1 and NW-2.

In the return leg, the barges will load coal provided by Fuel Sources India, where LSC Solutions is providing ground logistic support along with last mile delivery, and is destined for unloading at SMPK (Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port), Kolkata.

Utilising inland waterways

The central government has been trying to leverage inland waterways and establish synergy with the ports for robust multi-modal logistics chain. Further, to improve connectivity through waterways, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) has taken up several infrastructure projects on National Waterways 1 and and NW 2 (River Brahmaputra) through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).

The well-knit arterial network of rivers available in the eastern part of the country, coupled with the advantageous position of Haldia Dock Complex and SMPK having well-established connectivity by rail, road and inland waterways deep into the hinterland, would add a fillip towards optimally realising the full potential of multi-modal logistic chain in the region.

This paves the way for seamless and robust integrated logistics solutions in a more cost efficient and environment-friendly manner, thereby benefitting the region and the country as a whole, the release said.

SMPK-BCPL MoU

An MoU was entered into between Brahmaputra Cracker & Polymer Ltd (BCPL), and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, for developing a streamlined logistics chain for movement of feed stock like naptha, propane and pentane required for BCPL’s petrochemical xomplex at Lepetkata (situated about 15 km from Dibrugarh in Assam) from Haldia Dock Complex through rail and/or coastal shipping.

In the reverse leg, finished products and by-products to be routed for distribution through the port for both domestic and international market.

For the purpose, tankage facilities for storing of imported feed stock of BCPL and allied facilities are envisaged to be set up at Haldia Dock Complex.

Both parties have agreed to work together for handling increased volumes of naptha, propane and pentane at SMPK. The port has agreed in principle for extending the required facilities and infrastructure to BCPL including land, railway sidings etc. on mutually agreed terms and conditions, as per government policy guidelines.

Both the above are initiatives of SMPK under PM Gati Shakti Programme.

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