Essar Ports approved to build multipurpose cargo terminal at Kandla

Essar Ports has secured approval to construct a multipurpose cargo terminal at Kandla, featuring four berths of 300 metres each and a combined length of 1,200 metres. The facility will accommodate Cape-size vessels up to 170,000 deadweight tonnes with a draft capability of 18 metres, targeting an annual handling capacity of 18.33 million tonnes. CEO Ashish Rajgarhia described the project as a defining moment for the company's growth strategy.

Infrastructure work will involve dredging the access channel, creating berth pockets, turning circles, and a common approach road, provided by DPA. The terminal will operate in line with the Green Port Policy, aiming to relieve pressure on existing berths and improve multimodal connectivity. Essar currently operates about 60 million tonnes of capacity across ports in Gujarat, Indonesia and the United Kingdom, having developed 168 million tonnes nationally, of which 148 million tonnes is monetised.