Chennai: Kamarajar port is to appoint a consultant in a month’s time to fine-tune its plan to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near the port in order to utilise the 650 acres of land acquired from the Salt Department. Kamarajar port chairman and managing director M.A. Bhaskarachar said that the study would be over within three months duration.
“We are looking at accommodating port-based industries in the SEZ. Six companies have so far shown interest in setting up business near the port,” he added. He further said that a tender would be floated after the study is completed. According to him, the SEZ could have manufacturing and value addition industries, storage areas and container depots.
The Kamarajar port, situated 24 kms north of Chennai in Ennore, is the country’s first corporatised major port. In the last financial year (2013-14), it achieved more than 50 per cent growth by handling 27.33 million tonnes cargo as against 17.88 million tonnes handled in the previous year.
Apart from coal handling, which is its USP, the port has also emerged as a key export car-handling destination on the East coast. Early this year, the port had awarded contracts for development of a multi-cargo terminal and a container terminal. It has also awarded contract for another coal berth for TNEB.
Talking about its future plans, Mr Bhaskarachar said that the port would also look at deepening the channel and the basin to accommodate larger vessels. “We will soon take up a study to find out the possibilities of handling 18m draft vessels,” he added. Recently the port began work for an additional car parking facility to accommodate 4,000 vehicles.
