Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) is set to make its foray into West Bengal’s maritime sector as the company has won the right to operate a berth at Haldia Dock Complex.

The company has won the right to operate a berth at Haldia Dock Complex as the highest bidder.

The scope of work includes providing end-to-end mechanisation at the berth, which must be completed within two years of the contract being awarded by the port authorities. The project will have an investment of Rs 300 crore.

The berth will be able to handle roughly 3.5 to 4 million tonnes of cargo per year. This could be Adani Group's foray into the port and shipping industry in the state and will strengthen the company's position in the industry.

Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha are among the other seven maritime states where it has a presence.

Adani had emerged as the highest bidder for the end-to-end mechanisation of berth number 2 at Haldia, according to Vinit Kumar, Chairman of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (SMP), Kolkata, which manages port operations at Kolkata and Haldia.

As per the tender terms, the concession will be granted for 30 years.

The project will be part of the National Infrastructure Pipeline, which will identify and develop opportunities in at least nine infrastructure verticals, including roads and bridges, railway tracks, and ports, among others.

Kumar added that Adani is also among a group of shortlisted bidders for a berth in the Calcutta Dock System.

The Adani Group has been steadily expanding its presence in Bengal. It operates an edible oil plant in Haldia under the Adani Wilmar banner. It has also won the right to distribute city gas in the Burdwan district in a joint venture with the Indian Oil Corporation.

The company's infrastructure arm has been awarded the contract to expand the Durgapur-Pulsit stretch of the national highway to six lanes.

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