A few months ago, the Unocal-Natelco combine formed the Maroli Port and Harbour to execute a general cargo port and the government of Gujarat granted the company a letter of intent. The project has since faced some environmental protest from the local farming community.

According to K Raman, head of Natelco's infrastructure division, the company is yet to zero in on any particular site. Several options are still under consideration, in consultation with the Gujarat Maritime Board. Local government officials have been holding meetings with locals to give information about the project. The state government has publicly supported the project and promised to ally the fears of locals. To ease the apprehensionof the local fishermen community the Gujarat government recently announced that a fisheries harbour complementing the port will be constructed.

Raman told the Financial Express on Wednesday that the company would co-operate with the IPT investigation and give them complete details of the project. Considering the fact that the site is yet to be announced, he has asked the IPT for more time. Although Natelco-Unocal do not have to accept the findings of the IPT since it is not an official body, the company has decided to supply all the information asked for in the interests of transparency.

In response to the IPT's request asking him to depose before Daud, Raman has agreed, while stating that the project is development-oriented and will bring substantial benefits to south Gujarat.

According to details provided by the Gujarat Infrastructure Board, the first phase of the project is estimated at Rs 1,250 crore. The LNG terminal is expected to cost $460 million. The capacity of phase-1 will be 11.2 milliontonnes per year, inclusive of 2.5 million tonnes of LNG. The project is expected to be commissioned in fiscal 2004.

Estimated traffic build up is 5.7 million tonnes in 2004, the first year of operation, going up to 13.1 million tonnes by 2010.