Century Ports Limited (CPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Century Plyboards India Limited, officially marked the commencement of its container operations at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMPA) on March 9, 2026.
This landmark event was defined by the successful berthing of the first container vessel, M/V TC Messenger (Voyage No. 163), of Liner Cosco, the longest vessel ever berthed at KPD-I (West), under a PPP operator, with an LOA of 145.12 m and a beam of 22.40 m—at Berth No. 4 of the Khidderpore Dock System (KPD-I West).
Building on this momentum, the terminal further demonstrated its operational readiness with the successful berthing of M/V Sinar Pomalaa (Voyage No. 142E), of Liner Samudera, with an LOA of 117.10 m and a beam of 21.80 m, at Berth No. 4 on March 17, 2026. This subsequent vessel call reinforces the terminal’s capability to handle regular container traffic efficiently and marks an important step toward establishing consistent service operations.
The arrival of this vessel signifies the formal operationalization of SMPA’s first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project within the historic Khidderpore Docks, representing a significant modernization of Kolkata’s maritime infrastructure.
Infrastructure and Investment
Under a 30-year concession agreement spanning from 2024 to 2055, CPL has undertaken the rejuvenation of six berths (Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12). With an estimated capital outlay of INR 269 crores (USD 28.87 million), the project aims to transition aging port assets into a high-performance mechanized terminal.
At full capacity, the facility is engineered to handle 0.33 MTEUs of containerized cargo and 0.65 million metric tonnes of bulk and break-bulk cargo annually. The terminal’s total quay length of 848 meters is designed to accommodate vessels with a maximum Length Over All (LOA) of 157 meters and a beam of 22.5 meters.
Technological and Operational Modernization
The core of the CPL terminal strategy is the replacement of manual processes with a fully mechanized ecosystem. This modernization includes the deployment of Hybrid Mobile Harbor Crane(s) (MHC), Material Handler, Reach Stackers, and Automated bagging and stitching plants to ensure rapid vessel turnaround.
Operational efficiency is further bolstered by a real-time, paperless Terminal Operating System (TOS) that is fully integrated with Customs, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and Port Community Systems (PCS).
Enhancing Regional Trade Corridors
The terminal serves as a critical multimodal node for Eastern I(ndia and landlocked neighbouring states and countries like Nepal and Bhutan. By leveraging its proximity to the NSD Rail Yard and major National Highways (NH 16, 19, 12, and 27), CPL provides an integrated “Dock to Destination” logistics model.
Notably, for Nepal-bound containers, CPL has streamlined surface transportation between the terminal and the rail yard at no additional cost to the trade, addressing a significant historical bottleneck in the transit corridor.
The maiden call of the M/V TC Messenger, followed closely by the successful handling of M/V Sinar Pomalaa, confirms the technical and operational readiness of the KPD-I West terminal to support the modernization goals of the Century Group.
