Angre Port opens, plans ship-repair ops

Angre Port opens, plans ship-repair ops

Chowgule group-controlled Angre Port, which is being touted as Maharashtra’ s first merchant minor port, plans to start ship-repair operations by April-June 2013 and bunkering services in the next six months. Close to `520 crore has been invested in developing the port facility, which has a draught of 10 metres and can currently handle a cargo of around 16 million tonne per annum. In the second phase of development, the port plans to increase the draught to 13 metres and the capacity to 25 mtpa. The port would focus on all types of clean cargo (which does not pollute). The proposed ship-repair unit will have six berths and would be the only such major facility on the west coast. “In the long term, we expect the ship-repair facility to bring in more revenue than the port,” said M P Patwardhan, managing director, Chowgule Ports and Infrastructure. “There are close to 500 Indian flagged vessels below 10,000 dwt (deadweight tonnage) plying on the west coast which require dry docking every 30 months,” Patwardhan said, adding the port is capable of handling all types of cargo— container, bulk and liquid. The company is in talks with oil companies for setting up tankage facilities and starting a bunkering service. Company officials said these plans will fructify in six months. The port will be operated under the build-own-operate-share-transfer model for a concession period of 50 years with the Maharashtra Maritime Board. In the long run, the company will also explore other landlord models, under which space could be leased out to players from allied activities segments to set up facilities at the port. The port has a total area of more than 320 acre.