Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KD)

Mangalore, Apr 6: New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) will soon sign a pact with SEZ for an equity partnership, said NMPT chairman P Tamilvanan.

Addressing press persons at the NMPT seminar hall here on Thursday April 5, he said that the port would shortly enter in to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mangalore SEZ for equity partnership in order to develop the bunkering facilities among others on 300 acres of land which will also be used for LNG terminals.

He also said that the MoU has obtained in-principal approval from the ministry of shipping and surface transport.  NMPT has commissioned a study on setting up a separate dock parallel to the eastern dock with four berths of 14 mts draft.

Tamilvanan said that the central water and power research station is now doing a detailed study on the western dock proposal.

NMPT has handled 32.04 million tones of cargo and earned a total revenue of Rs 240 crore in 2006-07, and a net surplus of above Rs 100 crore for the second consecutive year.  NMPt has handled 17.92 million tonnes of import and 14.12 million tonnes of exports, Tamilvanan said.