The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at India's largest container port in Mumbai has unveiled plans to develop its port infrastructure over the next five years at a cost of INR70 billion (US$1.78 billion).
The plan calls for the development of a fourth terminal at the port located in western India, an extension of Terminal One, deepening and widening harbour channels and the acquisition of six rubber-tired gantry cranes by 2009 as well as three rail-mounted quay cranes by April 2008, said a report by The Economic Times of India.
The first task will be to dredge the harbour channel to 14 metres up from the present 12.5 metres, to accommodate the world's largest containerships. The estimated cost of the project is INR8 billion, and according the port's chairman, S Shahzad Hussain, the funds would be raised by the port trust. "We don't have a problem with funds... There are several banks interested," he said.
At present Jawaharlal Nehru Port, which is also known as Nhava Sheva port, has three terminals, one of which is operated by Jawaharlal Nehru Port, another by Dubai Ports World, and the third, jointly run by AP Moller-Maersk subsidiary APM Terminals and the state-run Container Corp of India, the report added.
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