JSPL keen to set up captive port in south Orissa

Bhubaneswar : After committing investments on a new six million-tonne-per-annum (mtpa) steel plant, a captive power plant and a coal-to-liquid project in Orissa, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) has evinced interest on setting up a captive port in Ganjam district. It involves a capital cost of Rs 1,424 crore, while the operational cost of running the port would be Rs 152 crore per annum. The first phase is scheduled to be operational by 2017.

The location is 30 km south of the existing Gopalpur port and 18 km from Berhampur. JSPL today made a presentation to the state commerce and transport department on the proposed port at the mouth of the Bahuda river, a perennial ore. The port does not require acquisition of farm land and there are no issues involved with nesting of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles in the area. “JSPL is keen on setting up a captive port at Bahuda Muhan. It has made a presentation on traffic requirement and other aspects of the port," said Gagan Dhal, principal secretary (commerce & transport).