The Essar bulk terminal at Hazira is all set to expand from the current 30 mtpa to 50 mtpa, up by 67 per cent, by this year end. Company officials say that the terminalÂ’s current 550 metre berth will be expanded by a further 1,100 metre. Post completion, the port will have capability of simultaneously handling seven vessels at any point of time.
The company has invested Rs 750 crore in the expansion project along with the existing investment of Rs 2,450 crore.
Essar has already invested in creating an all-weather mechanised deep draft port which is capable of handling Cape-size vessels. At present, the port has a draft of 14 metre, equivalent to JNPT, Mumbai.
The company has also dredged an 8.8 km long channel in the river Tapi by dredging approx 80 million cubic meters till date, one of the largest dredging activities in the country.
The dredged material is being reused by the company as a form of raw material for construction purposes.
In the quarter ending June 2016, traffic at the port increased from 2.4 mtpa to 8.8 mtpa, up by 80 per cent, as against the corresponding previous quarter. The cargo growth was backed by a
ramp-up at the Essar steel plant. Port traffic is expected to reach 24 mtpa in FY17 as against 12.7 mtpa in FY16.
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