Odisha’s First: Sonowal launches IFFCO’s riverine jetty at Paradeep

While launching a series of new development projects in Odisha, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday inaugurated IFFCO’ss riverine jetty at Paradip.

It bears recalling that the largest fertilizer cooperative of India (IFFCO) has started the riverine jetty to explore the possibility of using waterways as a feasible mode of transportation. The riverine jetty will add a new dimension to the transportation sector with the use of a multi-modal transport system, said one of the IFFCO officials.

During the inauguration of the IFFCO riverine jetty, Padmanabha Behera, Minister of Commerce & Transport, Planning & Convergence, and Raghunandan Das, Minister of State, I&PR, Water Resources, Government of Odisha, and Sambit Routray, Paradeep MLA, IFFCO joint MD Rakesh Kapoor, Paradeep Unit head, senior officials and others were present.

Soon after the launching, the Union Minister shared the news through the Twitter wall and wrote, “Inaugurated the IFFCO Riverine Jetty and flagged-off cargo barge at Paradip Port in Odisha. As a first, we mark the linking of Mahanadi river to the Bay of Bengal, taking another step in our endeavor to join coastal and inland waterways”.

During his two-day visit, Sonowal reviewed projects of Paradip Port and gave directions to the port for augmenting its capacity to 500 MMTPA (Million Metric Tonne Per Annum) by 2030.

The Minister made his first official visit to Paradip Port Authority in Odisha as part of the regular review on 24th March 2022. During the meeting, the Minister reviewed various infrastructure projects, PPA Projects, functioning of the Port, ease of doing business initiative, green initiative, and business development activity of the Port.

Paradip is going to become one of Asia’s prominent industrial hubs as the Central government decided to execute large infrastructure projects of around Rs 10,000 crore, the minister said.

The jetty was conceptualized by Orissa Stevedores Ltd (OSL). Currently, the jetty can accommodate vessels up to 2200 Deadweight tonnage (DWT), read media reports

With its historic acquisition in 2005, Paradeep Production Facility marked the first private sector acquisition by any cooperative in India. Paradeep port’s draft enabled year-round entry of large ships and conveyer belt facility made it easy to transport material, making Paradeep the right strategic investment for IFFCO.

Paradeep facility has a production capacity of 23,10,000 MTPA of Sulphuric Acid, 8,75,000 MTPA of Phosphoric Acid and 19,20,000 MTPA of DAP.