Kolkata Port Opens First PPP Terminal

Kolkata, Aug 16 (PTI) The Kolkata Port on Saturday inaugurated its first public-private partnership (PPP) terminal at Khidderpore Docks, marking a shift in the transformation of the historic dock system.

The Century Ports Ltd Terminal, built at a cost of Rs 190 crore, was formally commissioned by the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK).

Equipped with a mobile harbour crane, a barge unloader, modern yard equipment and an advanced terminal operating system (TOS), the facility has an initial handling capacity of 1.65 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers and 3.3 lakh tonnes of other cargo.

“The inauguration of our first PPP terminal at Khidderpore Docks paves the way for increased cargo handling and encourages the modernisation of other berths at the dock. It is the result of relentless effort, collaboration and vision,” Chairman Rathendra Raman said.

The concession agreement for the project, signed in 2022 for a 30-year period, is expected to boost cargo movement with integrated connectivity to road, rail and inland waterways.

SMPK said it has a pipeline of over Rs 4,000-crore PPP projects scheduled to become operational at Kolkata and Haldia docks within the next year.