Bhubaneswar: Setting a major milestone, Odisha’s Paradip Port Authority (PPA) has successfully berthed MV Mineral Kwangyang, its first-ever Capesize vessel with a 16.5-metre draft, at Western Dock-1 (WD-1).
“Carrying 152,702 MT of Coking Coal from Hay Point, Australia, the 292-metre vessel marked a significant milestone in PPA’s deep-draft vessel handling capability,” PPA said in a post on X. Paradip port is one of the major ports of India
Paradip Port Authority Chairperson Susanta Kumar Purohit congratulated Team PPA and Team JPPL on this landmark achievement.
Earlier, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated seven major infrastructure projects worth Rs 427.80 crore at Paradip Port, marking the port’s 18.5-metre deep-draft capability and its one-millionth tree milestone, while also witnessing the signing of concession agreements for three mechanisation projects worth Rs 1,580.36 crore aimed at further strengthening Paradip’s capacity, efficiency and cargo-handling capabilities.
According to a release from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the projects span navigation, connectivity, safety, sustainability, residential infrastructure and community development, while the mechanisation projects are aimed at improving cargo handling and reducing vessel turnaround time.
At present Paradip Port is handling various cargo like Crude Oil, POL products, Iron Ore, Thermal Coal, Chrome Ore, Coking Coal, Manganese Ore, Charge Chrome, Ferro Chrome, Ferro Manganese, Limestone, Hard Coke, Ingots and Moulds, Billets, Finished Steel, Scrap, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Raw Material, Clinker, Gypsum, Project Cargo and Containers.
According to the PPA, the Port is now equipped with 18 berths, including three Single Point Moorings (SPM), one Ro-Ro Jetty, a well-maintained Approach Channel having 18.7 Mtrs depth and Entrance Channel having 17.1 Mtrs minimum depth to handle a wide range of vessels up to maximum LOA of 300 Mtrs.
Concession agreements for three mechanisation projects worth Rs 1,580.36 crore aimed at further strengthening Paradip’s capacity, efficiency and cargo-handling capabilities were also signed in the presence of the Union Minister during his visit to the port town last month.