JSW Infrastructure, the recently-listed entity of the JSW Group, on Thursday stated it secured the profitable bid for the event of an all-weather, deep-water, and greenfield port at Keni in Karnataka for an estimated value of Rs 4,119 crore.
The Karnataka Maritime Board, beneath the state authorities, has issued a letter of award for the port, which will likely be constructed with an preliminary capability of 30 million tonnes each year (mtpa), the corporate stated in an announcement.
The award got here practically 9 months after stories of the corporate rising as the only bidder for the mission.
In keeping with sources, 4 events had been within the pre-bid stage — JSW Infrastructure, Adani Ports and Particular Financial Zone (APSEZ), Navayuga Engineering Firm, and Vishwa Samudra Engineering. Subsequently, APSEZ and JSW Infra certified for the bidding, however APSEZ selected to not bid. Trade sources stated the corporate at present had a variety of ongoing initiatives which it needs to give attention to.
JSW Infra is India’s second largest business port firm and had its preliminary public providing in September.
“As soon as the concession settlement is signed, we’ll begin working to develop the Keni Port as an integral a part of the state’s maritime infrastructure & commerce gateway,” stated Arun Maheshwari, joint managing director and chief govt officer of JSW Infra.
“By means of the event of this greenfield port, we’re partnering with Karnataka authorities’s mission to fulfill the logistics demand of a quickly rising state and the area’s financial system,” stated Maheshwari.
“As soon as developed, the Keni port is predicted to crucially tackle the rising import and export commerce momentum of the area,” Maheshwari stated.
The proposed port, strategically situated between Mormugao Port (Goa) within the north and New Mangalore Port (NMPA) within the south, goals to deal with cape-size vessels and cater to industries within the area. It may possibly deal with cargo as much as 200,000 tonnes.
The Keni Port is predicted to primarily seize coal and coke cargo for metal, cement, and energy vegetation, supported by iron ore, limestone, dolomite dealing with, and export of completed metal merchandise.
In keeping with the Karnataka Maritime Perspective Plan, the state’s hinterland potential is projected to extend from 44 mtpa to 117 mtpa by 2035.
“On comparability to the longer term demand and the capability being dealt with by the current ports, there’s a want for a deep draft port to fulfil the cargo dealing with hole requirement in future. Therefore, the idea of alternate port for NMPA has emerged, which goals at growth of the Port at Keni,” JSW Infra stated.
In keeping with the assertion, rail connectivity to the Keni Port web site, with an eight-kilometre alignment, is proposed to be on the southern facet and will likely be linked with the present Konkan line to north of the Ankola Station.