Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMPA) marked the birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, after whom India’s oldest operating major port is named, with two significant operational developments: the commencement of commercial operations at mechanised berths in the Kolkata Dock System and the revival of a thermal coal handling facility at Haldia Dock Complex.
JSW Infrastructure begins operations at Berths 7 & 8
JSW Infrastructure, concessionaire for mechanised Berths 7 and 8 in the Kolkata Dock System, commenced commercial operations with the handling of its first vessel at the facility. The development marks the operationalisation of one of the port’s key Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, aimed at improving cargo handling efficiency and productivity.
JSW Infrastructure has also secured the concession for the proposed Outer Berth Project, which will be the first outer berth developed at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port. Combined with the modernisation of existing berths, the project is expected to expand the port’s capacity and strengthen the Kolkata Dock System’s position as a key riverine gateway for Eastern India.
Haldia Dock Complex revives thermal coal berth
Separately, the port has restarted operations at the mechanised Thermal Coal Handling Berth-3 at Haldia Dock Complex, reopening one of the eastern coast’s thermal coal handling facilities.
Movement of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) coal to southern thermal power utilities has begun, with the first railway rake scheduled to arrive on July 7, 2026. Berth-3 is equipped with wagon tipplers, mechanised conveyor systems and ship loaders, and offers competitive handling tariffs compared to other eastern coast ports.
The facility supports an integrated rail-sea logistics model, under which ECL coal is transported to Haldia by rail before being shipped via coastal routes to thermal power plants — offering a cost-effective alternative for power producers.
Port highlights PPP push, coastal shipping focus
Officials at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port said the two developments reflect the port’s ongoing focus on infrastructure modernisation, private sector participation and coastal shipping. The port is targeting continued upgrades to its cargo handling capacity as part of broader efforts to strengthen India’s maritime logistics network.