APSEZ wins Paradip dry bulk berth project, adds 18 MMT capacity to East Coast network
APSEZ said on Wednesday that it has received the Letter of Award (LoA) for the development and operation of the two berths under a 30-year concession. The project will be executed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
- Sep 9, 2026,
- Updated Sep 9, 2026 8:31 PM IST
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has emerged as the highest bidder for the CQ-I and CQ-II dry bulk berths at Paradip Port in Odisha, strengthening its presence on India’s eastern seaboard and adding 18 million metric tonnes (MMT) of mechanised cargo-handling capacity to its portfolio.
APSEZ said on Wednesday that it has received the Letter of Award (LoA) for the development and operation of the two berths under a 30-year concession. The project will be executed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The addition will take APSEZ’s total port capacity to 671 MMT, from 653 MMT currently, supporting the company’s stated ambition of reaching 1 billion tonnes of cargo throughput by 2030.
Expands East Coast footprint
The Paradip win marks APSEZ’s entry into India’s second-largest major port and a key bulk cargo gateway on the eastern coast. The company already has around 140 MMT of capacity across Haldia, Dhamra, Gopalpur and Gangavaram, making the new berth an extension of its existing East Coast network.
Under the concession, APSEZ will develop CQ-I and CQ-II berths with mechanised cargo-handling systems, deep-draft berths and large-scale storage infrastructure.
The company said the project will strengthen its access to the mineral-rich hinterland of eastern and central India, where major industrial and manufacturing clusters are located.
“The Paradip concession will strengthen APSEZ’s presence on the East Coast and expand our access to one of India's most important industrial and mineral-rich hinterlands,” said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO, APSEZ.
“With Paradip, APSEZ's network grows to 16 ports and terminals across India's 11,000-km coastline, strengthening our ability to deliver integrated port, logistics and marine solutions through the country's most comprehensive transport infrastructure platform,” he added.
Targets bulk cargo growth
Paradip is located close to a mineral-rich hinterland and major steel-producing facilities, making it an important gateway for bulk commodities. APSEZ expects the new terminal to support rising volumes of coal, limestone and other dry bulk cargo.
The company said the capacity addition comes at a time when utilisation across ports on India’s East Coast remains high amid increasing cargo demand.
The project is also expected to support growing industrial activity, including steel-sector expansion in the hinterland. Government efforts to promote domestic coal production are another factor underpinning demand for bulk-handling capacity.
For APSEZ, the Paradip concession adds another strategic node to its integrated ports and logistics network while increasing its exposure to cargo flows from the mineral-rich eastern and central Indian hinterland.
The company said the new capacity should help ease regional infrastructure bottlenecks and support long-term cargo growth, while strengthening its position as India’s leading integrated transport operator.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has emerged as the highest bidder for the CQ-I and CQ-II dry bulk berths at Paradip Port in Odisha, strengthening its presence on India’s eastern seaboard and adding 18 million metric tonnes (MMT) of mechanised cargo-handling capacity to its portfolio.
APSEZ said on Wednesday that it has received the Letter of Award (LoA) for the development and operation of the two berths under a 30-year concession. The project will be executed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The addition will take APSEZ’s total port capacity to 671 MMT, from 653 MMT currently, supporting the company’s stated ambition of reaching 1 billion tonnes of cargo throughput by 2030.
Expands East Coast footprint
The Paradip win marks APSEZ’s entry into India’s second-largest major port and a key bulk cargo gateway on the eastern coast. The company already has around 140 MMT of capacity across Haldia, Dhamra, Gopalpur and Gangavaram, making the new berth an extension of its existing East Coast network.
Under the concession, APSEZ will develop CQ-I and CQ-II berths with mechanised cargo-handling systems, deep-draft berths and large-scale storage infrastructure.
The company said the project will strengthen its access to the mineral-rich hinterland of eastern and central India, where major industrial and manufacturing clusters are located.
“The Paradip concession will strengthen APSEZ’s presence on the East Coast and expand our access to one of India's most important industrial and mineral-rich hinterlands,” said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO, APSEZ.
“With Paradip, APSEZ's network grows to 16 ports and terminals across India's 11,000-km coastline, strengthening our ability to deliver integrated port, logistics and marine solutions through the country's most comprehensive transport infrastructure platform,” he added.
Targets bulk cargo growth
Paradip is located close to a mineral-rich hinterland and major steel-producing facilities, making it an important gateway for bulk commodities. APSEZ expects the new terminal to support rising volumes of coal, limestone and other dry bulk cargo.
The company said the capacity addition comes at a time when utilisation across ports on India’s East Coast remains high amid increasing cargo demand.
The project is also expected to support growing industrial activity, including steel-sector expansion in the hinterland. Government efforts to promote domestic coal production are another factor underpinning demand for bulk-handling capacity.
For APSEZ, the Paradip concession adds another strategic node to its integrated ports and logistics network while increasing its exposure to cargo flows from the mineral-rich eastern and central Indian hinterland.
The company said the new capacity should help ease regional infrastructure bottlenecks and support long-term cargo growth, while strengthening its position as India’s leading integrated transport operator.