Mumbai: The steam coal berths at Visakhapatnam port are all set to receive Panamax dry bulk carriers at the inner harbour by end-March this year, once the dredging of the navigation channel from 12.5 metres to 14.5 metres is complete.
Adani Group company Adani Vizag Coal Terminal, which won the 30-year concession to operate the coal berth, has created mechanised handling facilities of 5m tonnes per annum of imported coal with an investment of INR4bn ($65m). It launched commercial operations in October 2014.
At present, four berths are capable of handling ships requiring 14.5-metre draft and 16-metre depth. Four more will get the ability to receive fully laden Panamax vessels by the end of fiscal 2014-15.
“Despite complications involved in hard patch blasting in the channel, we are confident of completing the job by March 31, as part of our commitment to ensure faster evacuation of cargo without lighterage operations,” said Visakhapatnam Port Trust chairman M T Krishna Babu.
