Essar Terminal inks pact with GMB for Hazira jetty expansion

A container is loaded on to the first Chinese container ship to depart after the inauguration of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. REUTERS/Caren Firouz - RTX2TGDA

Essar Ports said Hazira Port Terminal operator EBTL has inked a pact with Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) for expanding its jetty by 1,100 metre.

The Hazira Port Terminal is an all-weather, deep-water terminal located in the Gulf of Khambatt, Gujarat.

Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd (EBTL) has signed an agreement with GMB for expanding its captive jetty by 1,100 metres, Essar Ports said in a statement.

"The expanded berthing facility is expected to be ready by end-FY18, and will enhance the current capacity by 20 MTPA. This will not only help cater to the enhanced cargo requirements of Essar Steel, its anchor customer, but also give a boost to the company’s third-party cargo business," it said.

EPL has port terminal facilities that have all registered a significant jump in cargo handling in the last three months on the back of improved performance of their anchor customers.

EBTL alone has registered a 26 per cent Q-o-Q growth in cargo in Q1 of FY17-18 by handling about 5.5 million tonnes of cargo in the quarter. In June 2017, the terminal handled a cargo of 1.86 million tonnes, which is a monthly record, the statement said.

"Our Hazira Port Terminal has delivered record output on account of highly efficient operations. The expansion of the jetty by 1,100 metres will further boost the cargo handling capability of the facility," Essar Ports Managing Director Rajiv Agarwal said.

"The Hazira Port terminal is a world-class facility; the expansion will help us cater to the cargo requirements generated by the enhanced capacity utilisation of our anchor customer, Essar Steel," Essar Bulk Terminal CEO Subhas Das said.

Since Essar Steel production is expected to increase further during FY18, the total cargo handling at the Hazira port terminal is likely to cross 25 million tonnes in the fiscal.

The Hazira Port terminal has depths of 14 metres below chart datum (CD) and is capable of accommodating capesize vessels. The port terminal is integrated with Essar’s Hazira Complex which consists of a 10 million tonnes steel plant, power plants and other manufacturing facilities.

Essar Ports has handled a record 19.62 million tonnes of cargo in the quarter ending 30 June 2017, a growth of 12 per cent when compared to corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. While dry bulk & unit cargo has increased by 32 per cent, third-party cargo has grown by 60 per cent.

Essar Ports is one of the largest port companies of India, with a current capacity of 140 MTPA. The capacity is being expanded to 194 MTPA over the next few years. Essar Ports has five operational port terminals at Hazira, Vadinar, Paradip, Salaya and Vizag.