APSEZ secures O&M contract to handle containers at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Dock.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s leading private port operator, is poised to win the rights for container handling at five berths in the Netaji Subhas Dock of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority (formerly Kolkata Port Trust) under a five-year operation and maintenance (O&M) contract.
As the sole bidder for the contract, APSEZ quoted approximately INR 2,100 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), within the ceiling rate set by the port authority, securing its position as the successful bidder. This move is expected to bolster APSEZ’s presence in the eastern coast port, enhancing its portfolio of 12 government-owned ports across India.
The ceiling rate set by the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority for handling loaded TEU Marine Freight Containers was INR 2,127 (excluding GST). APSEZ’s bid fell below this rate, meeting the tender terms for the five-year deal.
APSEZ will invest approximately INR 569.85 crore (excluding GST) to install equipment, including four Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHCs), three Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs), twelve Reach Stackers (RSTs), and thirty-five Tractor Trailers (TTs). The port authority will allocate four berths for MHC operations and one non-MHC berth for handling containers from geared vessels.
Operations are slated to commence in November following the conclusion of the current ten-year contract held by Bharat Kolkata Container Terminals. The new O&M operator will assume control of berths 1 to 5 at NSD for the duration of the contract.
With Kolkata serving as a significant market and catering to container traffic from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, APSEZ’s expansion into the container space at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port is strategic, positioning the company as a key player in India’s port and logistics sector.
