LONDON: Visakhapatnam port has handled 51 million tonnes of cargo during the current financial year till the end of December, 1.5 mt more than that of the corresponding period last year, in spite of serious challenges in the market, according to Chairman M T Krishnababu.
He was speaking at the port here on Friday after hoisting the National Flag on the occasion of the Republic Day. He said the port was confident of achieving the target of 64 mt by the end of the financial year.
The Chairman said there was spurt in coking coal, steam coal, container cargo and other cargoes to the extent of 3 mt or so, offsetting the decline in iron ore, POL (petroleum, oil and lubricants), and other cargoes. Functioning of the port was quite satisfactory on all technical parameters, but there was still scope for improvement to match international standards. During the year, the port had also taken up coastal shipping of steel products of the Visakhapatnam steel plant to Mumbai, Kochi and Ahmedabad.
The bilateral trade agreement with Nepal was working well and so far 1,900 TEUs of container cargo had been routed through Visakhapatnam to Nepal, he said.
Krishnababu said the first phase of upgrading of the iron ore handling complex, being undertaken by Essar with Rs 580 crore, was nearing completion and it would be operational shortly. Two new berths – WQ 7 and 8 – taken up at a cost of Rs 243 crores would be ready by March. Reconstruction of old berths – EQ 2 to EQ 5 – would be completed by September at a cost of Rs 182 crore. Development of an additional oil handling facility at OR 1 and OR 2 berths had been awarded at a cost of Rs 185 crore.
The multi-modal logistics hub project – a joint venture with Balmer Lawrie & Co taken up at a cost of Rs 211 crore – would be operational during the current financial year. He said the port was also taking care of environment and reducing pollution to the minimum levels. The 10-MW solar power project was functioning satisfactorily. The port had taken up plantation of 1.6 lakh saplings on its premises.
Krishnababu spoke at length about the various activities taken up the port as a part of its CSR spending.
