JSW Mangalore Container Terminal Pvt Ltd, the PPP (public-private partnership) company tasked with creating and operating the container terminal at New Mangalore Port, is expected to start commercial operations by the end of March.
On Tuesday, AV Ramana, Chairman of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), told media in Mangaluru that the integrated container terminal at berth no. 14 would begin commercial operations in the fourth week of March.
NMPA currently handles approximately 1.5 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers each year. He claims that once the JSW terminal is in place, the port will be able to accommodate 3 lakh TEUs in a year.
JSW’s project at New Mangalore Port aims to mechanise berth 14 for container and other clean cargo handling. The container terminal will be built in two stages for a total cost of 280.71 crore. Phase 1 of the project, which began in January 2021 and is nearly complete, is nearing completion.
The mechanisation of berth no. 14 is intended to boost efficiency, cut turnaround time and logistical costs, and make the supply chain more fluid, according to KG Nath, NMPA’s Deputy Chairman.
Because NMPA is mechanising its only deep-draft berth no. 14 for container handling, Ramana said the port will require a deep-draft dock to handle dry bulk and broken bulk goods coming via huge ships of 60,000 dwt and above.
