BHUBANESWAR: The Commerce and Transport department on Saturday inked a pact with Gopalpur Port Private Limited for further development and expansion of the port. Land measuring 119.716 acres was handed over to the port company. Gopalpur Port was operated by the state government as a seasonal lighterage port from 1986-87. The port was awarded to Gopalpur Ports Private Limited for transforming it into an all-weather direct berthing port in PPP mode.
The concession agreement between the Odisha government and the port company was signed on September 14, 2006. At present, the port has three berths built over 800 metres to accommodate multiple vessels with an annual cargo handling capacity of 20 MMT. The port has generated direct and indirect employment opportunities for 8,000 people.
The proposed expansion of the port will facilitate industrial as well as economic growth of the state in general and southern Odisha in particular. The MoU was signed by Director of Ports and Inland Waterway Transport, Commerce and Transport Department Padmalochan Roul and CEO of Gopalpur Port Private Limited Janardan Rao in the presence of Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu and Transport Commissioner Amitav Thakur. In the first phase, 393.67 acre of land was handed over to Gopalpur Port Private Limited.