The Paradip Port is literally living up to its tagline of “The most preferred port”, thanks to its deep draught, proximity to rich mineral reserves and vicinity to a large hinterland and landlocked regions.
A dream project of late Biju Patnaik, the then Chief Minister, and Prime Minister late Jawaharlal Nehru, the port commenced operation in 1966 to serve a large hinterland extending across Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and West Bengal. Beginning with iron ore, given its strategic location in the mineral-rich region, the port began handling fertilisers to cater to the manufacturing facilities of the Paradeep Phosphates and Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO).
The port soon built a large portfolio of cargoes, including oil, thermal and coking coal, chrome ore, manganese ore, foodgrains and so on. A boom in the global steel industry after 2005 changed the port’s fortune. The port seized the golden opportunity and began upgrading its infrastructure and services. The port has 14 berths, out of which four are dedicated to IOCl/ BPCl/HPCl, IFFCO, PPl and Essar. A state-of-the-art dry dock and three SPMs have been functioning like well-oiled machines to cater to the growing traffic.
The port boasts of its own railway system with a route length of 7.4 km, track length of 82 km, 25 railway sidings, seven locomotives and a 1,000-teu (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container yard. The port is well connected by rail and road to State capital Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Besides, the four-laning of the Chandikhol-Paradip NH-5A has facilitated better access to the port.
The national port, working for 365 days a year, has introduced the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system, which connects the port, its users and banks for faster and easier transfer of funds. Moreover, its robust website gives real-time information on berth allotments and many other details vital for shippers and other stakeholders. It recently commissioned the Vessel Traffic Management System for safe navigation of vessels in channels. The capital dredging undertaken through the Dredging Corporation of India at a cost of Rs 234 crore to increase depth of channel to 18.70 meters to facilitate handling of 1,25,000 dead weight tonnage size vessels was completed in 2012-13. The RITES has been roped in to prepare a feasibility report for setting up an inland container depot in the port. Besides, the port has facilitated handling of bunker to address the needs of vessels calling at the eastern ports of India. The port is also in the process of further diversification of its cargo profile by venturing into handling of non-POl cargo.
Four more berths are targeted to be added to the existing 14. The port has inked a PPP deal with Essar Paradip Terminal to develop a 10-MMTPA coal berth at a cost of Rs 479 crore. The port has already placed a letter of award with the IOCl for development of a 10-MMTPA oil berth at a cost of Rs 191 crore. It has signed an MoU with the GAIl (India) in October to set up an lNG Terminal.
With an enhanced cargo-handling capacity of 108.50 million tonnes, Paradip tops the country’s 12 Major Ports in terms of capacity. Handling more than 12 per cent of the Major Ports’ total traffic, it ranks second among these ports in terms of the volume of cargo handled and also second in terms of percentage growth. With enhanced capacity, upgraded infrastructure and many user-friendly policies and facilities, the port continues to be the most preferred maritime gateway on the country’s eastern coast.