The bhoomi pooja for Visakhapatnam Port Trust’s (VPT) fully mechanised coal berth at East Quay-1A (EQ-1A) was performed recently by Mr Ajeya Kallam, Chairman of VPT. The berth is to be constructed on build, finance, operate and transfer (BFOT) basis under public-private partnership (PPP) model at a cost of Rs 390 crore, Exim News Service reports.
The concession agreement for the project was signed on February 3, 2012, by SEW Vizag Coal Terminal Pvt. Ltd and VPT for a period of 30 years. The terminal is expected to cater to the needs of various coal users, particularly thermal coal for the power sector, an official release said.
Senior officials from SEW Vizag Coal Terminal, including its Directors, Mr A. P. V. N. Sarma and Mr S. Anil Kumar, and Vice-Presidents, Mr C. Pavan and Mr D. Sai Prasad, were also present on the occasion.
When operational, the berth will have fully mechanised systems like ship loaders, wagon tippler stations, stacker reclaimers, conveyor systems, etc., with capacity to handle 7.36 million tonnes of coal a year.
It would be built to world standards, with special emphasis on best safety and environmental practices encompassing a fire protection system, water and sludge management system, and a dedicated green belt to facilitate the berth being friendly to the environment as well as the neighbourhood, the release added.