KOPT In Capacity Augmentation Mode

To explore further capacity addition and in the words of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) Chairman Vinit Kumar, to “become futuristic”, an external consultancy has been engaged in increasing the capacity of both Kolkata Dock Systems (KDS) and Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) to 90 mt in the near future from around 65 mt at present.

Working towards this end, KoPT is undertaking several capacity augmentation measures.

As per Kumar, KDS is going in for additional container capacity addition in a big way. About 40,000 square metres (sqmt) of additional hard standing area have been added in the last fiscal which takes the total container terminal area to 1.45 lakh sqmt. Another 45,000 sqmt is to be redeveloped this fiscal.

KDS is planning for a fourth mobile harbour crane to be installed at 3NSD in 2019, taking the total container berth to 6.

Also, a state-of-the-art 140-plug reefer park will be coming up soon at KDS, taking the total number of reefer plugs in the terminal to 300.

The rail network in the container terminal is to be made full length by May 2019 and should be capable of loading two rakes. Reconstruction and maintenance of all major roads around the port will be completed by 2019-20. Parking lots with over 400 truck capacity within the dock area are operational presently to help in decongesting the roads and to overcome the challenge of parking of trucks during the time of traffic restrictions.

The coal/coke and clinker traffic at KDS has seen a remarkable 400 percent increase. In 2018-19, Kolkata Dock saw coal/coke and clinker handling of over 4 mt showcasing the additional capacity of the dock to handle such large quantities of bulk cargo. Coal has become the largest commodity to be handled at Kolkata, after containers, this year thanks to the port’s two major customers – SAIL and Tata.