Is Posco giving a second thought to its earlier plan to have a captive port in Odisha?

According to informed sources, the South Korean steel giant is mulling utilising the facilities of Paradip port instead of creating its own cargo handling facilities in the State to serve the requirement of its proposed steel plant.

When contacted, Mr G.J. Rao, Chairman of Paradip Port Trust, confirmed having met the Posco India's Chairman and MD, recently. “I myself and the port's Deputy Chairman, Mr S. Anantha Chandra Bose, together had a meeting a few days ago with the CMD of Posco India Pvt Ltd, Mr Yoon Yong Won,” Mr Rao said. He, however, described the meeting “very, very preliminary.”

At preliminary stage

Mr Rao made it clear that it would be too premature at this stage to jump to a conclusion about Posco's plan – whether the steel giant would like to use Paradip port's facilities only or as supplementary facilities to its own proposed port. From the meeting, it transpired that the company would be importing about 25 million tonnes of raw materials for the proposed steel plant, he said.

From Paradip port's side, the Chairman indicated, there would be no problem in offering the required facilities. “If the situation so warrants, we can make available for Posco's use at least two berths immediately,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Yoon of Posco India indicated at a seminar at Paradip recently that the company was committed to expediting the work of the steel plant.

Nearly 2,700 out of 4,000 acres of land had already been handed over to the company. About 300 acres of private land at Dhinika panchayat, where the company faced opposition from local people, would not be acquired. The company would acquire only those private lands whose owners were interested in ceding their land for the project, it was made clear.

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