MM Moharana, Director of Gopalpur Port (GPL) in Odisha informed that the actual operation in the port would begin within the next fortnight and the port can now handle around 3 million tonne (mn t) cargo annually.
It may be recalled that operation at the port, located off Ganjam coast, was suspended in the last two years as the erstwhile seasonal minor port was being converted into a major all-weather port. So far, GPL invested around Rs 600 crore on the project.
Now, the port is ready to begin operation as an all-weather port. GPL has already notified the opening of the port for commercial traffic after experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai, nodal agency appointed by Odisha government to certify its operational readiness, gave a go ahead.
In the next six months, the construction of two more berths and jetties may be completed raising the capacity of the port to load 10 million tonne (mn t) cargo, Moharana said.