Vijay Tanks ships Kandla's heaviest cargo

Vijay Tanks & Vessels Limited (VTV), an export manufacturing unit located at Kandla Free Trade Zone (KAFTZ), delivered four gigantic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage bullets at Kandla Port.

The cargo will be sent to New Caledonia, a French colony island nation off the Australia coast, on a Netherlands-registered vessel Happy Ranger.

Speaking to Business Standard, A V Jayaraman, general manager (corporate affairs), VTV, said, "Each bullet is of 7.8 metres in diametre, 40 mt long and weighs 500 metric tonne. In order to transport the bullets from the Vijay Tanks & Vessels's plant to the port, a custom-built multi-axle trailer with 308 wheels was deployed by VTV's transport contractor J H Parabia."

The bullets would be utilised for bulk storage of LPG for a $1.4-billion goro nickel mining project, being established by Inco, a Canadian nickel mining company, added Jayaraman.

Kandla Port usually handles project exports cargo for various companies engaged in infrastructure projects. H C Venkatesh, traffic manager, Kandla Port, said this was the heaviest equipment cargo shipped at the port till date.

Vijay Tanks & Vessels is all set to expand its global presence as an Indian engineering company. It generated a revenue of Rs 160 crore last fiscal.

Presently, the company is executing orders worth Rs 250 crore, Jayaraman said. Founded in 1965, Vijay Tanks & Vessels provides turnkey solutions for oil & gas storage terminals. It also delivers a range of process equipment from its manufacturing plants located across Gujarat. With the annual global demand for oil and gas process equipment pegged at $25 billion, the company is all set to tap the business potential in the segment.