New Delhi, Nov 12: Technical considerations should be subordinated to those of a hinterland as a good hinterland can support large investments, said TV Ananthraman, chief executive of International Seaports (India) Pvt Ltd (ISP).He was speaking about his company's experience of the Dhamra port in Orissa at an IDFC-organised seminar here on Friday. "The hinterland of Orissa consists of mainly Talcher, IB Valley coal mines and iron mines in the Daitari-Banspani area."The country's major integrated steel plants are also located within the defined hinterland of Dhamra which imports 8-9 tonnes of coking coal, he added.
These were the considerations for the company to approach the Orissa government. ISP is a joint venture of Precious Shipping Public Company Ltd, Stevedoring Services of America and Larsen & Toubro Ltd. RITES were the consultants appointed by the government and the agreement was based on the model concession agreement prepared by the Union ministry of surface transport, Ananthraman said.
The Dhamra port is being benchmarked for its operation and management against international ports like Richards Bay in South Africa and Rotterdom, he claimed. The port has a total berth length of 550 metres in Phase I. The berth can accommodate a capesize, a panamax size vessel at a time.It has an approach channel with a dredged depth of 16.5 m and a rail link of 62.5 km connecting Dhamra to Chennai-Howrah railway line at the Bhadrak junction, he added.
The port has mechanised cargo handling systems to load and discharge cargo at rate of 5,000 tons per hour. It has a capacity of bulk cargo stackyard of about 2.5 million tons at peak.
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