Paradip Port Trust (PPT) has initiated dialogue with Indian Oil Corporation for setting up an LNG terminal at the port. “At the preliminary level discussion, we’ve furnished all the information IOC had asked for and it is now for them to respond,” S.S. Mishra, Chairman, PPT, told Business Line over phone from Paradip.
Asked about IOC’s MoU with Dhamra port, the State’s first port sector joint venture between Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro, Mishra replied, “By all accounts, Paradip port is much better placed for handling LNG”.
plus factors
He gave several reasons in support of his argument. First, IOC’s Paradip refinery, to be commissioned within a year or two, was located close by and the refinery and other industries in the region would consume at least 1.5-2 million tonnes of LNG annually.
Next, connectivity-wise Paradip port was second to none and finally, about 200 to 300 acres of land, which might be required for the proposed terminal, was readily available with the port.
capacity
As a result, the capacity of the terminal could be expanded from the initial five mtpa to 10 mtpa and further to 15 mtpa without any difficulty. “We’re best suited for an LNG terminal,” he observed.
PPT, as the Chairman pointed out, was geared to handle deep-draft vessels with full load.
Already four berths, offering more than 14-metre draft, were ready to handle 95,000 dwt Super Panamax vessels with full load and another five would be ready in due course. The commissioning of IOC’s three single point moorings with a total capacity of 32 million tonnes boosted the port’s liquid cargo handling capacity tremendously. “We’ve invited EoIs for handling liquid containers,” he said, adding, “We also have plans to construct a second oil jetty”.
iron ore plots
The port would shortly shortlist the bidders for 27 iron ore plots for which bids had been received.
These plots were in addition to 40 odds plots embroiled in court cases.
The port would also provide special facilities for reefer containers and charge “very reasonable” rates for handling fertilisers.
“In the current fiscal (2013-14), we propose to handle a total of 63 million tonnes of traffic, up from 56.5 million tonnes in 2012-13,” he added.