APSEZ is highest bidder for Paradip port's CQ-I & CQ-II berths
AHMEDABAD: APSEZ, recognised as India’s largest and one of the fastest-growing Integrated Transport Operators globally, has attained the highest bid and secured the Letter of Award (LoA) for the development and operation of two dry bulk berths at Paradip port in Odisha. The development will add 18 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) of capacity, bringing APSEZ’s total portfolio to 671 MMTPA and supporting its goal of achieving 1 billion tonnes of cargo throughput by 2030.
The project will be executed under a 30-year concession using a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model. APSEZ is set to develop the CQ-I and CQ-II berths incorporating advanced mechanised cargo handling systems, deep-water berths and extensive storage facilities.
Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO of APSEZ, stressed the importance of this concession in enhancing the company’s presence on the East Coast and facilitating access to one of India's vital industrial and mineral-rich areas. Following the addition of Paradip, APSEZ’s network will include 16 ports and terminals, enhancing its capacity to provide integrated port, logistics and marine solutions through a comprehensive transportation infrastructure platform.
Paradip, positioned within a mineral-rich hinterland and surrounded by significant steel manufacturing plants, stands as India’s second-largest major port and a key gateway for bulk cargo. The new terminal is expected to improve APSEZ’s capability to manage the increasing volume of coal, limestone and other dry bulk commodities, effectively extending its reach across critical industrial and manufacturing sectors in eastern and central India.
This expansion addresses the heightened utilisation of the East Coast ports in India amidst growing cargo demands and is bolstered by expansions in the regional steel industry and government initiatives to promote domestic coal production. The project aims to alleviate regional capacity bottlenecks, enhancing industrial growth in the area.