"Adani Ports Secures Concession Agreement for Multipurpose Terminal at Deendayal Port"

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest private port operator, has signed a concession agreement with the Deendayal Port Authority to operate a multipurpose terminal at the port in Kandla, Gujarat. The agreement grants APSEZ the responsibility to equip and manage a 5.7 million tonne capacity facility that will handle clean cargo, including containers.

The 30-year contract, won by APSEZ through a competitive tender, involved the company offering the highest royalty of ₹200 per ton. This marks a significant step in APSEZ's strategy to expand its presence at Deendayal Port, India's second-largest state-owned port by volume, where it already operates a dry bulk cargo terminal at Tuna Tekra.

The newly privatized Berth No. 13, with a 300-meter quay capable of handling vessels up to 75,000 deadweight tons, is part of the government’s National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) program aimed at boosting public-private partnerships. APSEZ will equip the terminal with modern clean cargo and dry bulk handling equipment, including cranes, forklifts, and payloaders, and develop storage, road, and rail infrastructure.

The terminal is expected to handle a diverse range of cargo, including machinery, Ro-Ro cargo, sugar, salt, wooden logs, and containers. APSEZ will have the flexibility to set market-based rates for the services offered.

In a related move, Adani Logistics Ltd, a subsidiary of APSEZ, expanded its operations in southern India by adding the inland container depot (ICD) at Malur near Bangalore to its network. This expansion enhances the company’s logistics footprint in the region.

ET