The Gangavaram port is likely to start commercial operations in the first or second week of September, port sources told Business Standard. “We are waiting for its inauguration and are ready to start the cargo handling operations,” they said.
The management also carried out loading and unloading of cargo on a trail basis recently. “We have unloaded 30,000 tonne of coke from one vessel while the Jindal group has exported a few thousand tonne of steel from the Gangavaram port on a trail basis,” the sources said.
The all-weather deep-water port, in public-private partnership, has been developed by the DVS Raju-led consortium at an investment of over Rs 1,800 crore. The state government also has equity in the project.
In the first phase, the port has constructed five berths, which have a cargo handling capacity of over 12 million tonne a year, and created other facilities like stock yards, railway sidings and conveyer system.
All the five berths are ready with equipment to handle different cargos. The management is expecting to handle over 4 million tonne of cargo this financial year itself.
The port is using fully modernised handling equipment for quick loading and loading of different cargos. It has erected a conveyer belt exclusively for the Visakahaptnam Steel Plant to handle its cargo.
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The port has already tied up the Vizag Steel plant, Jindal, SAIL and a few other companies for handling their cargo.
The management is also planning to construct two more berths from January.