The Adani Group has recently bagged a five-year Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contract for the Kolkata Port. This is a big win for the Adani Group in the port sector. It will not only help the Adani Group extend its control over the particular business sector but will also help the business group enhance its cargo capacity further. APSEZ will have to deploy the cargo handling equipment within seven months of the date of the Letter of Acceptance (LoA). This recent victory made in the port sector will help the Adani Group put a stopper to the rumours of the Adani Scandal. It will also be able to expand its boundaries further.
The Recent Contract:
As per recent reports, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has recently signed a five-year contract for the container facility at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata. APSEZ has won the contract through a competitive bidding process, which requires the bidder to deploy the cargo handling equipment within seven months from the recipient of the LoA. APSEZ’s presence at the dock will improve the connectivity between the container ports and the terminal.
The port’s connectivity with the transit shipment hubs at Colombo and Vizhinjam is also going to increase. Both ports are already under the control of the Adani Group and are expected to be commissioned within a year. Now, this is a huge acquisition made by the Adani Group in the port sector after the controversies surrounding Adani Scandal subsided. It will lead the global conglomerate to success.
What Does APSEZ’s Director Have To Say?
Ashwani Gupta, the director and CEO of APSEZ, has said that the award of the O&M contract for the container handling facility at the Netaji Subhas Dock highlights the commitment of the global conglomerate towards making immense development in the ports and logistics sector in the country. It also highlights the potential that the Adani Group sees in West Bengal. The Adani Group plans to bring in its decades of experience in the efficient handling of various container terminals both within India and outside to bring about proper developments in the port sector in West Bengal. The Adani Group’s immense contributions in this sector have not only benefited the customers but have also brought about a massive improvement in the lives of the people living in the state.
The Netaji Subhas Dock in Kolkata:
The Netaji Subhash Chandra Dock is the largest container terminal present on the east coast of India. It has handled around 0.63 million TEUs in FY23-24. It also serves the vast hinterland encompassing West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, the North Eastern hill states, and the neighbouring countries of Nepal and Bhutan. The port is also the nominated port for the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade routes. The port has regular liner service calls from the hubs of Port Kelang, Singapore and Colombo. With Adani Group’s acquisition of the port, it will be able to greatly enhance its presence on the east coast of India. It will also take a step ahead towards becoming the largest port operator in the country.
Adani Ports and SEZ:
Adani Ports is currently the biggest private port operator in India. The company has 13 ports and terminals spread across the eastern and western coasts of India. These ports are located in seven maritime states: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. The ports have excellent cargo handling capacity. The Adani Group is also continuously working towards making expansions at the ports. The port operations are integrated with state-of-the-art infrastructure and highly advanced technology. This ensures that the various operations of the port are carried out seamlessly without any hindrance.
The Adani Group is currently trying to introduce automation at its ports. This will help automate the various manual tasks at the ports. The use of technology will further enhance the efficiency of the ports, which are currently under the control of the global conglomerate. The ports also come equipped with the latest cargo handling infrastructure, which is capable of handling large vessels. The ports can handle a wide range of cargo. APSEZ also handles three logistic parks at Patli in Haryana, Kila-Raipur in Punjab and Kishangarh in Rajasthan. Together, these logistic parks can handle 500,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. Over the years, the Adani Group has also evolved to be an integrated port infrastructure service provider.
Conclusion:
By acquiring control of the Kolkata Port, the Adani Group was further able to increase its global footprint in the port sector. This is a huge victory for the Adani Group. It will help stop the controversies of the Adani Scandal. The conglomerate will also be able to take one step forward towards becoming one of the biggest names in the international port sector.
