Paradip: Paradip Port has been witnessing major changes in the field of business as well as infrastructure development, a report said. This has become possible after funds worth Rs 3,200 crore were pumped in during last seven years under the Centre-sponsored Sagarmala project.
Many changes such as better connectivity to the port, infrastructural development and renovations have been brought in by using these funds.
The port has registered a record turnover of 116.13 MMTA (million metric tonne per annum) of cargo when businesses all over the world were on a downslide due to Covid19 pandemic and a slump was seen in iron-ore trade in the global market during 2021-22.
This feat has been achieved against its business of 114.55 MMTA in the previous financial year of 2020-21. The daily cargo transaction was 23,943 MT in the previous year, whereas this year it has increased to 27,295 MT.
This was stated here in the annual report released by the Paradip Port Authority Chairman PL Harandh, Friday. Harandh said works on the construction of three western docks are underway with funds available under the Sagarmala project.
The dock works, when completed, will help 2 lakh MT cargo ships take berth in the port. Similarly, cargo transportation to the port has become easier after the construction of 82- km-long Paradip-Haridaspur rail route.
Moreover, process has been completed to make National Highway53 connecting Chandikhole with Paradip an eight-lane highway so that commuting to Paradip Port becomes easier.
This apart, with the participation of the state government, a world class truck terminal will come up on 100 acre of land.
Construction of a riverine port and increasing cargo trade through the port has started under Centre sponsored Gatishakti plan. The plan, when implemented, will help users reap many benefits.
Post implementation, all the projects will help boost the cargo trading in the port to 750 MMTA by 2047. In this press meet, Harandh defended the renaming of Paradip Port Trust (PPT) to Paradip Port Authority (PPA).
He said that the name change will help the chairman take some important decisions on his own. Earlier, a plethora of issues had to be sent to the Union Shipping Ministry for decisions and approvals at their end.
However, after the name change, the port chairman can directly take decisions in this regard as per the requirement. Some important steps have been taken to develop the port into a world-class port under Sagarmala project and Gatishakti plan.
Among those are, 25 per cent increase in coastal shipping, expediting of cargo unloading through mechanised coal handling plant (MCHP).
The cargo unloading was done through 5,698 trains in 2020-21, while it increased to 7,156 trains in 2021- 22. Similarly, the time taken in anchoring of ships in the berths and unloading of cargo has been reduced to nine hours.
PNN