India's Essar plans to build box cargo terminal at JN Port

India's Essar Group plans to develop a port facility for handling containers and a port terminal for liquefied natural gas.

It is also establishing an all-weather port and jetty at Hazira in Gujarat for the import of iron ore, pellets, coal, limestone and the export of finished steel products, which will be able to handle 30 million tonnes of cargo each year. It also proposes to build an integrated terminal at Salaya for handling coal and pet coke used in power plants, in an effort to position the group as an integrated logistics services provider with interests in ports and terminals, logistics services, sea transportation and oil field services. The Mumbai-based conglomerate plans to expand its logistics business by building a fourth container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port as well as freight stations and depots through its subsidiary, Essar Shipping Ports and Logistics Ltd. "We are planning to build a port terminal for LNG handling and storage. Essar already has a port and terminal facility at Vadinar in Gujarat providing handling, storage and terminal services for crude oil and petroleum products to refineries and traders. But industry experts warn that Essar's entry into the container field may be difficult, given the lack of rail and road connections to move the cargo. India's Shipping Ministry forecasts that port traffic in India will rise to 1,009 million tonnes by fiscal 2012 and to 1,225 million tonnes by fiscal 2014 from 649 million tonnes in fiscal 2007.
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