Essar Ports Ltd. has reportedly emerged as the highest bidder to develop a multipurpose cargo berth at Tuna Tekra with an estimated investment of ₹1,686.66 crore. The project, located outside Kandla Creek, is designed to handle 18.33 million tonnes of non-liquid and non-container cargo annually.
According to sources, Essar Ports quoted a royalty of around ₹60 per tonne when financial bids were opened on April 24. Vedanta Ports, a unit of Vedanta Resources, was the only other bidder. The bids are currently under evaluation and are expected to be finalised soon.
Tuna Tekra functions as a satellite facility of Deendayal Port Authority, India’s largest state-owned major port by cargo volumes. This marks the third attempt by the port authority to develop the berth through private investment under a flexible tariff regime.
The proposed terminal will handle a range of dry bulk and breakbulk cargo, including food grains, fertilisers, coal, ores, minerals, and steel. It will be capable of accommodating vessels of up to 100,000 deadweight tonnes with a draft of up to 15 metres, while offering a berth depth of 16.5 metres.
The selected developer will be responsible for constructing the berth and associated infrastructure, including approach trestle, mechanised cargo handling systems, rail connectivity, a rail loading yard, utility corridors, and backup area.
While the port authority will bear the cost of dredging up to a 15-metre draft, any further deepening up to 18 metres will be undertaken on a cost-sharing basis. Additional dredging for handling deeper draft vessels will be the responsibility of the private operator.
The project is part of Deendayal Port Authority’s efforts to expand dry cargo handling capacity beyond the current 59.96 million tonnes, amid rising demand and increasing utilisation of existing facilities.