The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has reportedly requested Ennore Port Ltd (EPL) to treble the port's installed coal handling capacity in the next five years.
The TNEB requires the port to be able to handle a total volume of 35 million tonne of coal from the present 12 million tonne by 2014. EPL's capacity expansion is likely to help TNEB's plans of adding 5,000 MW of capacity in the next five years.
EPL's capacity expansion, including a new berth and dredging, is estimated to cost Rs 200 crore. For the expansion, two more unloaders will be required. EPL is likely to ask the Indian Maritime University to take up a detailed feasibility study on the project.
At Central Berth two, the capacity is expected to be enhanced to 16 million tonne. Construction of a third berth for coal handling is likely to be taken up based on the feasibility study. The new grab unloaders to be installed should be capable to unload coal from the large Panamax vessels (80,000 - 100,000 dead weight tonne), which have a broader beam.
Source : ProjectsToday
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