Essar Ports, which has an operational capacity of 82 MTPA, announced here on Sunday that its ₹830-crore expansion plan to upgrade the iron ore handling capacity of the Vizag terminal (outer harbour) from 12.5 MMTPA to 23 MMTPA is nearing completion. On completion, the upgraded terminal will have a loading rate of 8,000 TPH (tonnes per hour) which will be among the highest for an Indian port.
Essar Vizag Terminals Limited (EVTL) took over the project in May 2015 on a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a period of 30 years. Since then, the company has ramped up the iron ore loading capacity of the terminal from 25,000 TPD (tonnes per day) to 70,000 TPD.
After the completion of the upgradation-cum-modernisation project, the loading capacity will increase to 120,000 TPD, and the facility will be able to berth vessels up to 200,000 DWT with a draft of 18 metres at the outer harbour.
EVTL’s iron ore handling terminal at Visakhapatnam Port is an all-weather deep draft facility that has the wherewithal to serve the rapidly growing markets of South East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea.
Focus area
An increased focus on global best practices and sustainable environment protection has reduced spillage to a mere 0.18% at the terminal. EVTL is aiming at bringing this number down to zero, which will result in lower emissions and a cleaner environment.
A 9.3-km open conveyor has been covered. Its junction houses that pass through the old town have been protected with cladding, and a ‘cold fog’ system implemented at each junction house to further reduce the pollution.
Rajiv Agarwal, Managing Director, Essar Ports, noted: “The facility is one of the kind in India with a state-of-the-art mechanised system, and one of the highest loading rates (8,000 TPH). It has significant potential to increase our share of third-party cargo business to more than 40%. As a result of the enhanced performance parameters, exporters on the east coast will benefit immensely from shorter turnaround times, which will translate into competitive freight costs.”
“We aim to be the preferred choice of exporters in eastern India,” said Ch. Satyanand, CEO, Essar Vizag Port.