Eight in race for JNPT bulk terminal

Mumbai: Eight international and domestic port developers Maersk India, P&O Ports, Hutchison International Port Holdings, ICTSI, Halcrow, Container Marine Agencies, Skanska Cementation India, Mahindra Realty and Infrastructure Developers are in the fray to develop and operate the bulk terminal proposed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) on a build-operate-transfer basis. The total cost of the bulk terminal project is estimated at Rs 700 crore.

Due to the steady fall in the dry bulk traffic at JNPT, the port trust had decided to redevelop its existing bulk terminal site for other cargoes that can offer a higher growth potential to the port. The dry bulk traffic at JNPT has declined from a maximum of around 1.96 million metric tonnes during 1995-96 to 0.4 million metric tonnes during 2000-01. JNPTs bulk terminal consists of two mechanised berths of 500 metres quay length, designed for handling dry bulk cargo (imports) in vessels up to 70,000 DWT.

This terminal is also connected with backup facilities, such as two grab unloaders, two continuous unloaders, a conveyor system to carry the dry bulk cargo to the sheds and other associated facilities. JNPT officials said all these bidders have submitted their expression of interest and have been asked to submit a techno-economic feasibility study to the port trust.

The official said after receiving the feasibility studies, the port trust will start the final selection round. "The project will entail redevelopment of the bulk terminal site, involving design, finance, construction, management and operation of the same for a maximum license period of 30 years."

They said during the last one year, there has been a steady growth in the demand for containers and it has been felt that the growth potential will be stepped up if the existing bulk terminal is converted into a container terminal with a capacity of around one million TEUs.

Currently, JNPT has two container terminals and one bulk terminal. The container terminals handled about 1.9 million TEUs in aggregate in the year 2000-01. The container traffic has increased steadily from 54,643 TEUs in 1990-91 to 1,18,780 TEUs in 2000-01 at a compounded annual growth rate of 36 per cent.