Old, but state-of-the-art

THE century-old Mormugao Port, located at the estuary of the Zuari river in south Goa, has adapted itself to the rapid changes in technology. One of the best natural harbours in the country, it was declared a major port under the Indian Ports Act, 1908, and was brought under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, on December 2, 1963, thus forming the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).

Iron ore exports form the single largest activity of the MPT. Forty per cent of the country's iron ore exports are carried out through the port. The ore is brought to the port by barges from the mines. The MPT provides a fully mechanised ore-handling plant (MOHP) with an annual capacity of 10.5 million tonnes at Berth No. 9. The berth can handle ships varying in sizes from 30,000 to 2,75,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) and has a maximum LOA (length overall) of 335 metres.

While panamax vessels can be fully loaded at the berth, bigger vessels are loaded to the permissible draft of 14 m in conjunction with the tide, and then up-topped by privately owned transhippers in stream. There are three mooring dolphins capable of accommodating panamax vessels of 70,000 DWT to handle the ore and other bulk cargo by the ships' own gears.

The general cargo traffic handled at Berth Nos. 10 and 11 have a draft of 11 and 12.5 m and mainly include dry bulk and break bulk cargo. The MPT also handles about 10,000 TEUs of container traffic at these berths. Berths 5A and 6A, built on a BOOT (build-own-operate-transfer) basis, commenced operation in June 2004 with an annual capacity of 5 million tonnes. Coal/coke is handled at these berths, which have a draft of 13.5 m. Specialised facilities are available at Berth No. 8, which has a draft of 12.5 m, for handling petroleum products and other liquid cargo. The traffic handled by the MPT is on the rise every year; it rose from 18.23 million tonnes in 1999-2000 to 27.87 million tonnes in 2003-04.

There are 10 covered warehouses/sheds measuring 29,276 sq m with a storage capacity of 69,360 tonnes, and eight open plots measuring about 1,30,532 sq m with a storage capacity of 3,91,596 tonnes of general cargo. In addition, there are 40 tanks owned by government agencies and private parties to store liquid cargo.

Explaining the future plans, MPT Chairman C. Venkatachalam said that the MOHP would be modified with the replacement of four Grab Barge Unloaders. Replacement of two stackers, installation of an additional stacker with additional line and replacement of reclaimer and ship-loaders with higher capacity are also planned. The MPT wants to develop a Wagon Handling System at the MOHP on a BOT (build, operate and transfer) basis, enabling the handling of around 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore. Navigation channels would be deepened up to 15.10 m by dredging.

The MPT also has plans to construct a cruise-cum-container terminal at Baina Bay on a BOT basis, said Venkatachalam. Three interested parties have submitted "Request for Qualification" documents. The proposal is likely to be finalised by February 2005 and the new terminal would be built within two years of that, he added.