The port handling capability at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is all set to double with Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals Private Ltd (BMCT) boosting its yard operations.
The company, a subsidiary of PSA International of Singapore, which started operations in February, will be competing with JNPT’s own terminal, the APM terminal and DP World’s terminal. BMCT on Thursday announced that it had added nine Rubber Tyre Gantry Cranes (RTGs) to its fleet of 18 to enhance yard operations. Another batch of nine RTGs is expected to arrive in October, taking the total number to 36.
In a statement, BMCT said, “Commissioning of new RTGs is on and they will be ready for operations from August-end. With the latest arrivals, BMCT has nine Quay Cranes and 27 RTGs to support 1,000 metres of contiguous quay length and four DFC [Dedicated Freight Corridor] enabled rail lines at the terminal.”
The company said the arrival of new equipment coincides with steady volume growth at the terminal, which has handled over 1,50,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) till date. The productivity averages 100 moves per vessel hour and reaches peaks of over 140 moves per hour.
Sivakumar K., BMCT general manager, said, “The new equipment underscores our commitment to be a game-changer to support the trade’s requirements for premium service, flexibility and room to grow. Till date, 11 different vessel operators have called at the BMCT and we are looking forward to welcoming new services. We are at an advanced planning stage of our Phase 2 development, which will be completed by the end of 2022, doubling our capacity.”
The company has invested ₹4,719 crore in the first phase to handle a capacity of 2.4 million TEUs. In the second phase, it will add a capacity of 2.4 million TEUs by making an investment of ₹3,196 crore.
