Kolkata port seals 21 MoUs in Rs 360 billion pact

At the third edition of the Global Maritime India Summit 2023 held in Mumbai, Syama Prasad Mookherjee Port, Kolkata, paved the way for port-driven industrialisation by securing a historic deal worth Rs 360 billion with several companies. Rathendra Raman, the chairperson of SMP, Kolkata, entered into 21 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various stakeholders during the summit. The stakeholders comprised government agencies and private partners involved in port connectivity, capacity augmentation, and green energy projects as part of Vision 2047. The MoUs outlined collaboration with NTPC for green energy and ammonia, as well as cooperation with GRSE for the supply of green marine vessels. Additionally, the first public-private partnership (PPP) project of the Kolkata Dock System at SMP ? Rejuvenation of KPD ? Dock 1 (West) ? was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the event. The PPP project of Kolkata Dock System, with an investment of Rs 1.81 billion, would enhance the port capacity by an additional 4.5 million metric tons per annum (MMTPA) and involve complete mechanization of six berths.