Kolkata Port signs Rs 343.58 crore deal for Haldia berth mechanisation

New Delhi/Kolkata: The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) on Thursday awarded a Rs 343.58 crore public-private partnership (PPP) project to Ganges Bulk Terminal Pvt. Ltd. (GBTPL) for the mechanisation of berth No. 5 at Haldia Dock Complex, aiming to improve cargo handling efficiency, officials said.

PSU Watch is now on Whatsapp Channels. Click here to join

The project, to be implemented on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis, will equip the berth to handle 5 million metric tonnes of dry bulk cargo annually, they added.

It is targeted for completion by December 2027, SMPK said in a statement.

GBTPL will invest Rs 343.58 crore, while the government will provide Rs 22.30 crore through internal and extra budgetary resources, the riverine port said.

SMPK chairman Rathendra Raman said it will improve operational capabilities, and strengthen eastern India's role in maritime trade.

According to port authorities, the mechanisation will reduce vessel turnaround time, increase throughput, and deliver long-term economic benefits for the region's port sector.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)