KoPT for capacity expansion at Haldia amid cargo gloom

The Kolkata Port Trust will go ahead with the proposed capacity expansion at Haldia dock despite a slump in cargo volumes and controversy over cargo handler Haldia Bulk Terminal's exit.

"We are moving ahead with capacity augmentation and issue the Request for Proposal (RFP) in a month for the Haldia Dock II project where we plan to add 23.4 million tonne capacity," KoPT manager (Railway) AK Bose told PTI.

"We have already received 15 offers from major companies and consortiums like Adani, Essar, Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure, Gammon India, JSW Infrastructure, a consortium of Transstroy-OJSC, Vadinar Oil Terminal Ltd and Jindal ITF...", he said.

"Though there is some slowdown in cargo but with the upcoming projects in the eastern side, we need to argument capacity to meet the demand of the future," he said.

The existing dry bulk capacity of Haldia dock is 18 million tonnes and according to projections in 2019-20, the demand for capacity will be for 40 million tonnes.

The estimated Rs 1,700-crore expansion involves two projects comprising HDC-II north and HDC-II south at Salukhali at Haldia, close to the existing Haldia dock.

Each HDC-II north and South will have two berths each with one multipurpose and another mechanised.

The project will be executed under a PPP (Public–private partnership) model.

KoPT has already received the go-ahead from the public private partnership appraisal committee (PPPAC) for the model concession of the project.

KoPT has obtained nearly 160 acres of land for the project from the state government.