Kolkata port signs Rs 343.58 cr deal for Haldia berth mechanisation

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) on Thursday awarded a Rs 343.58 crore public-private partnership (PPP) project to Ganges Bulk Terminal Pvt. Ltd. (GBTPL) for the mechanisation of berth No. 5 at Haldia Dock Complex, aiming to improve cargo handling efficiency, officials said.

The project, to be implemented on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis, will equip the berth to handle 5 million metric tonnes of dry bulk cargo annually, they added.

It is targeted for completion by December 2027, SMPK said in a statement.


GBTPL will invest Rs 343.58 crore, while the government will provide Rs 22.30 crore through internal and extra budgetary resources, the riverine port said.

SMPK chairman Rathendra Raman said it will improve operational capabilities, and strengthen eastern India's role in maritime trade.

According to port authorities, the mechanisation will reduce vessel turnaround time, increase throughput, and deliver long-term economic benefits for the region's port sector.