The Gujarat government gave its approval for a compressed natural gas – CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar with a proposed investment of ₹1,900 crore. It will be developed jointly by U.K.-headquartered Foresight Group and Mumbai-based Padmanabh Mafatlal Group.
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The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) had signed an MoU with Foresight Group to set up this port terminal at Bhavnagar in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit held in January.
Apart from the CNG terminal, the investors would develop a Ro-Ro terminal, liquid cargo terminal, and container terminal at Bhavnagar port with a cumulative investment of ₹1,900 crore. The proposed CNG port terminal will have a capacity to handle 1.5 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA).
To develop CNG and other terminals on the north side of the existing port would require major modifications in the existing infrastructure, including dredging in water channel of port basin, construction of two lock gates, and off-shore infrastructure for CNG transportation.
Gujarat Maritime Board:
Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has established itself as maritime leader in port development, privatisation and specialised cargo handling in India. It is also the first maritime board of the country which was created up in 1982 with a vision “To enhance and harness ports and international trade as vehicles for economic development.
With foresighted thinking and strategically located longest coastline of 1600 kms, GMB charted a different and unexplored route of port development in 1980s. This was the era when major ports enjoyed monopoly over sea freight, with very little or no port capacity with state governments.