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Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd (EBTL), the operator of the Hazira Port Terminal facility, has signed an agreement with Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to expand its jetty for bulk ships by 1100m. The lengthened berthing facility is expected to be ready by April 2019, and will boost current capacity by 20 million tonnes a year.
The company says the investment will not only help meet the needs of Essar Steel, its anchor customer, which anticipates increased cargo volumes being generated through Hazira, but will also give a further boost to the company’s third party cargo business.
EBTL registered a 26% growth in cargo volumes in the first quarter of the 2017-18 financial year, handling about 5.5 million tonnes of cargo in total. Moreover, in June 2017, the terminal handled 1.86 million tonnes, a monthly record. Rajiv Agarwal, Managing Director, Essar Ports, said: “Our Hazira Port Terminal has delivered this record on account of its highly efficient operations. The expansion of the jetty will further boost the cargo handling capability of the facility, which is likely to increase to more than 25 million tonnes in the 2018 financial year.”
Overall, Essar Ports handled a record 19.62 million tonnes of cargo in the quarter ending 30th June 2017. This represents a growth rate of 12% when compared to the corresponding months of 2016. The company notes that third party cargo has grown by 60% in this period.
