Brothers Ambani vie for JNPT project

The Ambani brothers are competing with each other in the logistics space now.

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Logistics and Anil Ambani's Reliance Energy have both submitted expression of interest (EoI) for the Rs 5,000-crore fourth container terminal project at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).

Other companies in the fray include Tata Power, Essar Construction, Larsen & Toubro and Rajiv Chandrashekhar-promoted Hindustan Infrastructure Projects & Engineering.

JNPT Chief Manager (Operations) R T Revankar confirmed the development, saying 41 companies had submitted EoI for the project. Delhi-based Consultancy Engineering Services is advising JNPT on execution of the project.

"Both the Ambani brothers are considered serious players for the container terminal. It makes sense for Mukesh Ambani to have a container terminal at JNPT, in the vicinity of which will come up his proposed special economic zone (SEZ)," a port analyst said.

For Anil Ambani, too, the project is important as he is into running container trains on the JN Port-Delhi route.

"This key terminal will supplement his container train venture," the analyst pointed out.

The fourth container terminal project is of critical importance as it will be able to handle container traffic of about 4.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) to five million TEUs. JNPT currently handles 2.5 million TEUs with its two container terminals.