Vizag Port gives land for AMNS' Rs 600-crore expansion

Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam Port Trust has allotted 157 acres for expansion of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd (AMNS)'s pelletisation plant at a cost of Rs 600 crore in the city.

AMNS, which acquired Essar Steel India Limited (ESIL) on December 16, 2019, has announced its resolve to strengthen its presence in India. AMNS India, as part of its expansion drive, has decided to increase the capacity of its plant here. The company wants to expand its capacity by two million tonnes.

The land allotment MoU was signed on Friday between VPT Deputy Chairman Durgesh Kumar Dubey and M Ravindranath, Vizag asset head of AMNS.

This was one among 28 MoUs signed by the VPT envisaging an investment of Rs30,443 crore in connection with Maritime India Summit being organised in virtual mode by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways from March 2 to 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh Mandaviya will address. VPT has plans to ink MoUs worth Rs45,000 crore.

Land for HPCL

For HPCL Visakh Refinery VPT has allotted 110 acres, which forms an important part of the MoUs being signed by the port. The refinery is undergoing expansion from 8.33 to 15 million tonne at a cost of Rs26,264 crore under the Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project (VRMP). The project's Executive Director P Veerabhadra Rao was present at the time of signing the MoU.

Following the announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget on development of Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour into a modern harbour at a cost of Rs 100 crore, VPT signed MoU with Joint Director of Fisheries K Phani Prakash. VPT Chairman during the curtain-raiser briefing on Maritime India Summit said if required, the Centre was ready to grant more funds for modernisation of the fishing harbour.

Another MoU signed was with regard to sand trap dredging and beach nourishment for next five years by Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) at a cost of Rs100 crore.For installation and operation of harbour mobile crane for higher productivity, VPT signed a contract with Integral company for an amount of Rs38 crore.