HBT quits Haldia port

In a major blow to the investment prospects in West Bengal, Cargo handling company Haldia Bulk Terminals, jointly promoted by ABG Infralogistics and French logistics company Louis Dreyfus Armatuers, told the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday that it has decided to exit Haldia port, citing ‘poor law and order situation’ and ‘unsafe working conditions’.

A counsel for HBT told the vacation bench of Justice Sambuddha Chakraborty that the company had already faxed a letter to the port authorities informing them of its decision.

The counsel said this when Arunava Ghosh, counsel for the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), sought the High Court’s intervention in asking HBT to resume cargo loading work at the Haldia dock.

The operator’s decision to quit the state came a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dubbed the Haldia Dock imbroglio as “exaggerated”.