Paradip - As part of Maritime India Vision 2030, Paradip Port will evolve as a world-class mega port with over 400 MMTPA capacity by 2030 through its capacity augmentation projects, Port Chairman P L Harandh said recently.

All the berths of the port will be mechanised bringing about enhanced productivity, eco-friendly cargo handling and reduced logistics cost for the customers, Harandh said while hoisting the National Flag at Paradip Port on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day.

He said to achieve the 80 MMTPA capacity addition, projects are in the pipeline which would be completed by FY 2030.

Looking beyond it, Harandh said the port envisions taking its capacity to over 500 MMTPA by the AmritKaal 2047. Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, he said Paradip Port has been identified as one of the major ports to be developed as a hydrogen hub.

Paradip Port is jointly conducting a project study for converting itself into a Green Port at National Centre of Excellence for Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) under The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Paradip Port, the Chairman said, had achieved a major milestone as the fastest major port by clocking a record cargo throughput of 52.31 MMTPA Cargo on August 14 last registering 8.4 percent growth over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

The incremental growth has been 4 MMTPA, which is the highest among all major ports of the Country, he said adding that if the trend continues, the PPA will be able to emerge as the top cargo handling port of the country.

The port has added 55 MMTPA of Capacity including 30 MMTPA of berth mechanisation in the recent five years.

This will take the port capacity beyond 300 MMTPA upon its completion, he said adding that the Western Dock project will enable the port to handle fully-laden cape size vessels requiring draft up to 18 metres.