Taking advantage of the optimism over growth of infrastructure and industry sectors, the Gangavaram Port is getting ready to expand its capacity.

Promoted by the Gangavaram Port Ltd under Public Private Partnership format, the port management will seek mandate at a public hearing being conducted by the AP Pollution Control Board for its first phase expansion here on May 12.

The port is investing Rs.995 crore to develop four more berths, including a mechanised berth, to handle coal. Three berths will handle multipurpose cargo, which includes liquid cargo for the first time. The port will enhance its capacity from the present 16.5 million tonne to 40.9 million tonne by 2013-14. The port, at present, has five berths.

CPCB finding

The Forum for Better Visakha and the Fishermen Youth Welfare Association have questioned the rationale behind the expansion plans with the contention that the Central Pollution Control Board has identified Visakhapatnam as a highly polluted industrial cluster, making it unfit to have any major industry or expansion of existing projects.

The officials of GPL have rejected the criticism and expressed their resolve to go ahead with the expansion to meet the demand for handling cargo with efficiency with less turnaround and pre-berthing time for big size merchant vessels.

“Our expansion will not have any adverse impact on the environment as we are installing most advanced technologies to keep the level of pollution at the bare minimum,” Director (corporate affairs) of GPL Suryaprakash Gutta told The Hindu.

The port, which started its commercial operations during April 2009, had a turnover of Rs. 440 crore during 2010-11, earning a profit in the first year of its operation, Capt. Suryaprakash said.

Gangavaram is an all-weather, multipurpose port capable of handling Super Cape size vessels carrying 2,00,000 tonne.

Gifted with a deep draft of 21 metres, the port has a state-of-the-art fully automated handling system located on the backyard of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

With Gangavaram snatching away part of its cargo, the Visakhapatnam Port, the main port in the government sector, could handle 68.04 million tonne, falling short of the target of 70 million tonne during 2010-11. The main port, however, retained the second slot after the Kandla, which had a throughput of 81.88 million tonne.