OREANDA-NEWS. Even before the construction of Multi-Modal terminal at Haldia in West Bengal kicks off, it has received a commitmentof 5.92 million tons (MT) per annum of cargo volume by the year 2018 from the Industry,indicating huge cargo potential of theproposed terminal.Fly ash is expected to be the major cargo with a commitment of 3.8 MT followed by vegetable oil (0.63 MT), cement (0.36 MT), among others.

In a series of consultationswith Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) held at Haldia last month, various industries, firms, shipping lines, cargo operators, shippers,andmanufacturers committed transportation of cargo like Fly ash, Edible oil, Vegetable oil, Gypsum etc. by 2018, the year Haldia terminal is ready for operation.

Earlier, a workshop on issues pertaining to the opportunities and prospects of inland waterways-cargo potential for IWT terminal at Haldia was held in March, 2015 in which various shippers, freight forwarders, vessel operators etc. participated. The participants had indicated that the immediate demand for transportation was about 1.8 MT per annum for Fly Ash and 1.7 MT per annum forEdible oil, if Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal was constructed.

In June, 2016, M/s HPC & Uniconsult, Germany (Consultants engaged for IWT Sector development strategy and business development study for the Jal Marg Vikas Project) forecasted a cargo potential of 7.95 MT for the year 2020.

Haldia terminal is one of the three Multi-Modal terminals being constructed under the World Bank assisted Jal Marg Vikas Project, being implemented by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Ministry of Shipping,Government of India for the capacity augmentation of National Waterway-1 i.e. on River Ganga from Haldia-Varanasi for navigation.

Government is developing National Waterway-1 (NW-1) under the Jal Marg Vikas Project, with assistance from the World Bank at an estimated cost of Rs. 4,200 crore. The project would enable commercial navigation of vessels with capacity of 1500-2,000 DWT Tonnage.

Earlier tender for Phase-I of the terminal was published on 3rd March,2016. Six firms submitted their technical and financial proposals, and the evaluation is in progress.