Shipping Ministry Secretary Gopal Krishna inaugurated the coal terminal with mechanised coal handling facility at New Mangalore Port on Wednesday.

The facility is handled by Chettinad Mangalore Coal Terminal Private Limited. It was developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer (DBFOT) basis at Berth No 16 at an estimated cost of Rs 469.46 crore.

With the new facility, the entire process – from unloading from ships to loading it on to railway wagons or trucks – will be completely mechanised. Each wagon will get loaded within a minute, leaving no room for the generation of dust, explained Chettinad Group Director Chandramoleeswaran V.

Unloaders

He also said that two ship unloaders have been installed to handle one lakh dead weight tonnage vessel.

“The depth of the berth is 15.1 metres. The ship unloaders can unload up to 2,000 tonnes an hour.

Two stackers cum reclaimers, with a capacity to handle 4,000 tonnes an hour for stacking and reclaiming coal, have been installed. The capacity of wagon loading system is 1,600 MT silo and able to load seven rakes a day. Each rake will have 59 railway wagons,” he said further.

Mechanisation of coal handling will also eliminate pollution in the vicinity as all conveyors are closed, he added.

To check pollution, he said, dry fogging and water sprinkling is taken up at junction towers and the stacking area. “A high-rise compound wall – of 14-metre height – will prevent the pollution towards the road. In addition, a wind shield has been placed at a height of 14 metre to check the dust. The stocks are piled at a height of 10 metres,” said the director.

‘Wash tyres’

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has insisted on washing the tyres of the trucks that leave the stockyard, to check pollution. Arrangements have been made to follow the instructions too, he added.

A bridge of 140 MT in motion weight is controlled and maintained by Southern Railways at the venue. CCTV camera surveillance has been provided for the entire terminal activities, he explained.

Stating that, presently, the NMPT is handling 4 million tonnes of coal, the director said that the terminal will enhance the cargo handling capacity by 6.73 MMT an annum. The mechanised coal handling facility at NMPT will become full functional from the first week of June.

The Chettinad Group also handles the mechanised coal handling facility at the Kamarajar Port Limited (Ennore Port), he added.

Shipping Ministry Secretary Gopal Krishna stressed on the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors. He also said that the initiative will contribute to the development of the region.

NMPR chairperson M Beena was present on the occasion.