Odisha, despite being the third largest port by cargo volume handled, remains the only state that does not have a dedicated container terminal and is heavily dependent on the ports in Visakhapatnam and Kolkata for imports and exports of containerised cargo, Jindal Stainless’s Head of Logistics, Venkateswara Rao said. The establishment of a container terminal at Paradip will facilitate better resource utilization, reduce idle time, enhance profitability, and create employment opportunities, Rao said.
A dedicated container terminal at Odisha’s Paradip Port has the potential to bring as much as Rs 20,000 crore worth of business to the state exchequer. Addressing the Logistics Summit, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Rao said that currently, this quantum of business benefits the states of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
With the emergence of Eastern India, particularly Odisha, as a major metals manufacturing hub, setting up a container terminal at Paradip has become imperative to support and sustain this growth.
The day-long summit was aimed at providing a platform for industry stakeholders to chart a roadmap in order to unleash their true potential.
The adoption of eco-friendly transportation will also lead to a remarkable 400 percent reduction in carbon emissions, in line with the country’s Net Zero ambitions, he said.
According to the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, a 10 percent reduction in logistics costs has the potential to boost exports by 5 percent.
So the development of a dedicated container terminal at Paradip holds immense promise not only for the state of Odisha but also for the entire nation’s logistics ecosystem, contributing to our collective goal of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
