By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, AUG 31, 2016: THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for ‘Redevelopment of Berths 8, 9 and Barge Berths at the Port of Mormugao, Goa on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode' at an estimated cost of Rs. 1145.36 crore. The project will be completed within 36 months from the date of award of concession.

The project envisages reconstruction of 3 old berths and replacement of 38 year old equipment by creating facilities for handling a variety of cargo like iron ore, bauxite, gypsum, limestone, fertilizers, steel coils and other general cargo at Mormugao Port catering to ships up to 1,85,000 DWT. The existing capacity of these old berths with 38 year old iron ore handling equipment is 13 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA). As a result of modernization of berths, more efficient operations due to this project and utilization of deeper draft of 19.5 Mts. being created in the port, an incremental capacity of 6.22 MTPA would be added.

Construction activity includes construction of berths, buildings, railway lines, dredging and reclamation and installation of equipment. The construction process particularly the civil works are labour intensive and will lead to employment generation. The direct and indirect employment in this regard will be about 400 people per day. The project will contribute to industrial growth of Goa. The project will have a positive effect on industries such as steel, power, iron ore, agriculture and cement.

This project is primarily meant for export of iron ore to meet the growing demand of Goan iron ore due to the lifting of ban on export of iron ore.

State of the art technology will be used to address environment concerns.

The following measures will ensure it:

i) Entire iron ore will be brought to the port through barges using inland waterways of rivers Mandovi and Zuari and no road movement is involved.

ii) Iron ore will be unloaded through grab un-loaders and discharged into hoppers for stockpiling. For cargo retrieval, bucket wheel reclaimers will be used and loaded onto vessels by stackers.

iii) All the conveying system will be covered.

iv) Dry fog system will be installed so that there are no fugitive dust emissions. Additionally water spraying/sprinkling systems will be installed at specific discharge points to mitigate the problems.

v) The stockpile will be stored under proper cover.

vi) The possibility of dust formation would also be under control as no wagon tippling would be involved.

The project will prove to be a boon for Goan economy.