As a fallout of acquisition of Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd by Reliance Industries Ltd, activities at the India's first-ever sole hazardous chemical handling port in Dahej are expected to gain a major boost.
The port run by Gujarat Chemical Port Terminal Company Ltd, which has recently surpassed the coveted mark of handling 100 vessels and 1 million metric tonne of liquid, gaseous cargo, now expects to increase its utilisation in manifolds after it has witnessed a 40 per cent utilisation in its first year of commercial activities.
"As IPCL is a leader in petro-chemicals and requires huge quantity of raw materials, we hope our port will now be more active and soon turn into a hub of activities. We look forward to increase in our business since RIL's acquisition of IPCL and definitely the utilisation of the port is also to be exploited properly," said an official of GCPTCL.
Sources said that already GCPTCL officials have held rounds of discussion with the top-brass of Reliance and so far, the indications are giving strong signals for making this port as a hub of RIL's activities.
The port located in the Gulf of Khambhat, known as 'The Golden Corridor of Indian Chemical Industries,' already has handled various cryogenic, non-cryogenic, liquid, gaseous chemicals like naphtha, methanol, styrene monomer, acetic acid, LPG and several others, besides edible oil and fatty alcohols. Propane, a cryogenic product, handled and stored at minus 48 degree centigrade temperature is another specialised chemical of GCPTCL is designed to handle.
Only on July 30, GCPTCL achieved another landmark by executing the port and terminal concession agreement with Gujarat Maritime Board and government of Gujarat. Bavkubhai Undhad, the minister of ports, commenting on the concession agreement said, "The agreement between GCPTCL and GMB is in keeping with the BOOT policy of the state government which has helped bring in the infrastructure development of the international standards at the port. With the commissioning of the chemical port, the chemical and petroleum industry of the neighbouring states will also stand to benefit besides Gujarat."
It may be added here that 33 percent of stake of GCPTCL is being held by IPCL, now it is to be RIL after the acquisition. "Our port is going to gain much from this agreement and it has come on a perfect time when we are looking forward to an impressive growth in business," said the GCPTCL official.
An official spokesperson of GCPTCL said, "As a commercial port exclusively dedicated to handling liquid and gaseous chemical products and oil in Dahej region, which is fast shaping up as a future hub for storage and handling of chemicals, shall veritably boost the overall transformation of the region."
The chemical port has so far handled several large vessels carrying cargo, the largest one being MT World Trumpet of 48,683 dead weight tonnage and also MT Rabindranath Tagore of 45,134 DWT and many other such vessels with huge shape and size. But it has never been fully utilised as per its capacity and advantages.
"As RIL also now will be holding stake of this port, RIL will obviously prefer of moving its raw materials through this port and also may opt for exporting from here. RIL will not only get benefit of receiving consignments for IPCL's three units in Vadodara and Bharuch districts, which are located within close proximity of this port, but also remember that the refinery of RIL at Jamnagar will also enjoy benefit of this port," said a senior official of port department of the state government.
