Odisha's Gopalpur Port Receives Its First Capesize Vessel

Bhubaneswar: With receiving its first capesize vessel carrying 105,000 tonnes of limestone, Gopalpur Port in Odisha has joined the list of "select ports" that can handle large ships in the country, an official said on Monday.

JSPL, one of the port's key customers, imported steel-grade limestone from the middle-east in a ship, owned by Essar Shipping, which reached the port on Saturday, he said.

We are proud to have successfully handled a vessel carrying 105,000 tonnes (of limestone) on October 12. In a short time, the group has made significant progress in making the Gopalpur Port a world class facility, said Amit Saboo Managing Director of Shapoorji Pallonji Port Maintenance Pvt Ltd.

Gopalpur Port has undertaken an expansion programme which amongst other things entailed dredging of the channel to enable it to receive large ships, a port statement said.

With completion of dredging, the port is capable of receiving modern and large ships which can cater to the needs of its customers, it said.