JNPT to buy container handling equipment

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is planning to acquire variety of container handling equipment and simulators for training.

The container port major aims to handle 3.3 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) this fiscal. At present, JNPT handles 58 per cent of container traffic of the country. The port is ranked 32 among the world's top 100 container terminals.

JNPT Chairman Ravi B Budhiraja said the port has already ordered two rail mounted gantry cranes (RMGCs) for handling of inland container depot (ICD) containers and it is likely to be positioned in July.

He said the port will also acquire simulators for training operators. These units are to be ordered by July with lead period of six months. The port will purchase radio data terminals (RDTs) for online updation or planning of container handling. The order for the same will be placed by August with a lead period of 4 months.

"We are acquiring three rail mounted quay cranes (RMQCs) for placing at main berth of the port's own container terminal. The order is likely to be placed by July while two old RMQCs to be shifted to the port's shallow draught berth," Budhiraja said. He added that the port will be placing its order for six rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGCs) for supplementing existing yard cranes by October.

At present, JNPT has three container terminals, including its own container terminal, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT). Two private terminals include P&O Ports-run Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) and Gateway Terminals India Pvt Ltd (GTIPL), operated by a consortium of Container Corporation of Indian and Maersk India.

Budhiraja said the port would be positioning six more RMQCs, 23 RTGCs and five RMGCs in the coming years. "The RTGCs and RMGCs are supported by about 15 numbers of Reach Stackers operating in various container yards. At present, both JNPCT and NSICT are operating with about 130 tractor-trailers each for transportation of containers inside the port area," Budhiraja said.

He added that the capacity of the port by 2011-12 would be about 90 million tonne per annum, including six million TEUs of containers.

Meanwhile, the port handled 2.67 million TEUs of container traffic during the financial year 2005-06 surpassing the previous annual container handling of 2.37 million TEUs during the previous year 2004-05.