Third Terminal of JNPT operational

Mumbai, Jan 4 (UNI) After the operation of its third terminal today, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is working on a proposal for constructing the fourth terminal, subject to approval by the competent authority.

Chairman of Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), A L Bongirwar, who has already served as the chairman of JNPT in past, said here today ''We should now start thinking for the construction of the fourth terminal at the port premises. the need for this was being felt by the port management''.

He said once the fourth terminal comes up, it will give a major boost to the port which handles 60 per cent of the country's total container traffic at present. Interestingly, an Scandinavia-based firm, APM Terminals, which is behind the construction of the third terminal at the port, has already submitted its expression of interest for the proposed trerminal.

He said Exim trade has to grow if the country has to become the economic superpower by 2020. Commenting on regulations, he said that ''Regulations have to stay in the country''.

Mr Bongirwar was addressing a gathering after launching the third terminal at the port, which was constructed by the Gateway Terminals India (GTI) under a public-private-partnership arrangement.

Later, talking to UNI on the sidelines of the event, he said that ''We've recently permitted Mumbai Port Trust to hike its tariff after we received a request from the port authorities in this connection''.

GTI is a joint venture between APM Terminals and Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), a Government of India undertaking which is the largest provider of containerized rail transport in the country.

Chairman in-charge of JNPT, Maya Sinha, who recently assumed charge, said that ''PPP is the new mantra for the port development today''.

Chairman of APM Terminals, Tommy Thomson, said that India stands at the threshold of a new era and the AP Moller-Maersk Group, which is the parent organisation of APM Terminals, is dedicated to making the necessary investment to develop the port infrastructure required to meet the future demands of the global container trade. He confirmed that his firm has started its efforts for getting the order for the construction of the fourth container terminal of the port.

UNI