M'lore terminal drops PPP plan

The New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) is planning to construct a container terminal on its own and has dropped the plan of public private partnership (PPP) model after the private players backed out citing lower returns from maximum tariff fixed by the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP). A Ministry nod is expected later.

Now the NMPT will build the 300 m long, 25 m wide quay berth with a 14 m draft, and invite the private sector to install the necessary infrastructure for handling container cargo. The cost of building the new berth is estimated at Rs 50 crore.

Instead, the NMPT has decided to build the container berth from its own funds and to float fresh tenders from the private sector for providing cranes and other equipment to handle container cargo separately.

Early last year, the port had shortlisted several private companies to build a greenfield container terminal on a build operate and transfer basis on a Rs 276 crore contract.