Sical reserves Chennai Port JD5 bulk cargo berth until 2018

Chennai, Aug 24 (ANI/Business Wire India): Sical Logistics Ltd, India's leading provider of multi-modal integrated solutions for the logistics of bulk and containerized cargo, has signed a Berth Reservation Scheme (BRS) agreement with the Chennai Port Trust for 20 years, effective from February 26, 1998.

Sical Logistics has been handling vessels at JD V berth under BRS but was restricted until now to berth vessels with less than or equal to 10.4 meters draft.

After the completion of dredging by Chennai Port, the draft has been deepened to 12 meters, providing Sical Logistics with the capability to berth vessels of 50000-52000 MT cargo capacity against the current capability of handling 25,000-30000 MT vessels.

The servicing of larger vessels coupled with reduced pre-berthing delays, improved port-to-port turnaround times, and higher berth occupancy is expected to raise the throughput of Sical's bulk logistics operations at Chennai Port by 2-3 million MT per year. In FY09, Sical handled 3.4 million MT of bulk cargo at Chennai Port.

Between August 18-21, 2009, the JD5 berth received its first 12 meter draft vessel, MV Mokara Collosus.

The vessel, for which Sical Logistics is the shipping agency, discharged 50940 MT of coking coal under contract with JSW Steel Ltd.

Sical Logistics is studying the feasibility of enhancing the handling equipment at the JD5 berth to receive gearless vessels to maximize loading /discharging economies for large importers and exporters. (ANI)