Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) has secured a five-year Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contract for the container facility at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata. This contract, awarded through a competitive bidding process, requires APSEZ to deploy cargo handling equipment within seven months from the letter of acceptance (LOA) date.
APSEZ's presence at the dock is expected to enhance connectivity between the terminal and its container ports, particularly with transhipment hubs at Vizhinjam and Colombo, which are scheduled for commissioning during the year. The involvement of APSEZ in the operation and maintenance of the container facility is anticipated to bring significant improvements, leveraging the company's extensive experience in managing container terminals.
Ashwani Gupta, the whole-time director and CEO of APSEZ, emphasized the company's commitment to developing ports and logistics infrastructure across India, highlighting the potential seen in West Bengal. He noted that APSEZ's experience in efficiently managing various container terminals within India and internationally would benefit customers and the local population.
Netaji Subhas Dock, the largest container terminal on the eastern coast of India, handled approximately 0.63 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) in FY2023-24. It serves a vast hinterland including West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, the northeastern hill states, and the landlocked neighboring countries of Nepal and Bhutan. The port is also the nominated port for the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade route and has regular liner service calls from major hub ports such as Singapore, Port Kelang, and Colombo.
