Odisha's Paradip Port was bustling with activity on Friday after seven major infrastructure projects worth ₹427.80 crore were inaugurated by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal.
A key project among these is the dredging to deepen the port's draft to 18.5m, while the others promise boosts in navigation, connectivity, safety, sustainability, residential infrastructure around the port premises, and community development.
Three concession agreements worth ₹1,580.36 crore were also signed with the Paradip Port Authority (PPA), in a bid to improve cargo handling and reducing vessel turnaround time.
"The expansion of Paradip Port's capacity is not only about strengthening one port—it is about creating a growth multiplier for eastern India," Sonowal said at the event.
On the ₹427.80 crore package
₹352 crore from this package goes to its most important project—capital dredging to deepen its draft to 18.5m.
This enables the port to handle fully laden Capesize vessels in its inner harbour, which, in turn, would boost cargo handling at the eastern port that logged the highest cargo throughput for two consecutive fiscal years till FY 2025-26, when Deendayal Port took the top spot with 160.11 million metric tonnes (MMT).
A ₹24.89 crore 500m three-lane bridge, with footpaths and a dedicated pipeline corridor across the Atharbanki Creek, is now expected to ease congestion along a route used by about 3,000 trucks daily, while a ₹2.10 crore sports hostel will provide accommodation and amenities for aspiring athletes, supporting youth development.
Other projects under this package include a ₹15.50 crore Advanced Vessel Traffic Management and Information System, a ₹20 crore project to provide PNG connections to 546 residential quarters, and a ₹12.18 crore upgrade of its 1980s-era administrative office building.
On the ₹1,580.36 crore concession agreements
Sonowal's visit also saw three concession agreements worth ₹1,580.36 crore signed with the PPA for berth mechanisation, on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.
This is part of its plan to achieve 100 per cent berth mechanisation by 2030, as compared to the current 80 per cent, which will help boost turnaround times.
The three agreements include a South Quay mechanisation project awarded to Yogayatan Paradip SQB Terminal at an estimated ₹498.69 crore, which will boost its handling to 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
The others are an 8 MTPA multi-purpose berth project contract awarded to Kalinga Bulk Terminal Paradip for ₹630.67 crore and a 10 MTPA captive CQ-III mechanisation project awarded to AMNS Paradip Logistics at an estimated ₹451 crore.
The port also marked the planting of its one-millionth tree as part of its green-cover initiatives, which have seen one lakh trees planted per year over the past four years, as part of an annual programme that involves employees, stakeholders and local communities.
As part of its community initiatives, PPA also highlighted placement-linked training provided to 168 unemployed youth from Odisha, as well as skill-development programmes for fishing communities around the Paradip Fishing Harbour.
