Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has picked Crisil Risk and Infrastructure Solutions as transaction advisor for the planned privatisation of the shallow water berth that handles general cargo and the coastal berth dedicated for local cargo movements.
The 4.5 million tonne (mt) a year capacity shallow water berth has a length of 445 metres with a depth of 10 metres, and is capable of handling container, cement, general cargo and liquid cargo vessels. The construction of the dedicated berth for coastal shipping was taken up under the ‘Sagarmala’ programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways in order to boost coastal cargo movement.
The coastal berth was completed in November 2020 and a trial operation was carried out in July this year. The berth will provide better infrastructure for coastal shipping as well as decongest rail and road networks, ensuring cost-competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solutions.
The construction of the dedicated berth is in line with the government’s policy to promote coastal shipping to shift freight from road to an environment-friendly and cost-effective mode of transport.