OREANDA-NEWS. January 14, 2013. Essar Ports Limited, one of the largest private sector port companies in India and part of the USD 27 billion Essar Group, has announced the commissioning of its 16 million metric tons per annum (MMTPA) dry bulk terminal at Paradip, taking the aggregate handling capacity of Essar Ports to 104 MMTPA.

The project involved the upgradation and mechanization of the existing 230m long CQ3 berth at Paradip with installation of a fully mechanized ship loading system with a capacity of 5,000 tons per hour. It is an all-weather terminal with a capability to handle large ships. The terminal is connected to the stockyard by a 9km long conveyor system having a capacity of 5,000 tons per hour. The stockyard has been equipped with two reclaimers with a capacity of 2500 tons per hour each.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr Rajiv Agarwal, Managing Director, Essar Ports Limited, said, “This is our first project on the east coast of India and is a modern facility with best in class capabilities. The terminal will help achieve better handling rates, improve efficiencies with faster turn-around time for ships and would benefit the Paradip Port and its customers.”

Paradip Port Trust has granted a license to operate the terminal till 2020 with a provision to extend the license period by further five years.

The terminal will handle iron ore pellets for its anchor customer, Essar Steel, which has commissioned a pellet plant of 6 MMTPA and is in advanced stages of construction of the second unit of 6 MMTPA taking the total pelletization capacity to 12 MMTPA. The terminal would also be used by other users for the movement of their dry bulk cargos.

The terminal enjoys excellent road and rail connectivity. The nearest railhead is 4 kms from the terminal connecting through Rangiagarh and a 2 km 2-lane road connects the terminal to NH 5A.

Essar Ports Ltd. is one of the largest port companies of India, with a current capacity of 104 MMTPA. The capacity is being expanded to 158 MMTPA over the next few years.

Apart from the Paradip Terminal, Essar Ports has two operational ports at Hazira and Vadinar. The Hazira port is an all-weather, deep-draft port with 30 MMTPA of dry bulk and break bulk cargo handling capacity. Vadinar is also an all-weather, deep-draft port with 58 MMTPA of liquid cargo handling capacity.

Essar Ports is currently developing one terminal at Paradip which will be a coal berth of 14 MMTPA. The company is also setting up a dry bulk terminal at Salaya with a capacity of 20 MMTPA. Additionally, the company plans to expand its Hazira port capacity by 20 MMTPA — taking its capacity to 50 MMTPA