Prime Minister Narendra Modi has commissioned the Haldia Bulk Terminal developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and dedicated it to the nation.
Automated facility to handle 4 mtpa of dry bulk cargo
Designed to handle dry bulk cargo with an annual capacity of four million tonnes, the terminal is a fully automated bulk handling facility on the Hooghly River with direct rail connectivity for faster evacuation.
Located within the Haldia Dock Complex of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, the terminal has been developed under a 30-year concession through the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model by HDC Bulk Terminal Ltd.
Next-generation bulk facility
Strategically positioned on the western bank of the Hooghly River, the terminal is equipped to handle imported coal and other dry bulk commodities. The east coast accounts for about 60 per cent of India’s dry bulk imports, including coal, bauxite and limestone.
The project introduces full mechanisation and direct rail evacuation to the Hooghly, enabling quicker cargo handling and lower logistics costs for industries across eastern India.
The terminal eliminates jetty dumping and reduces cargo loss through advanced automated systems, ensuring cleaner, safer and more sustainable operations.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Whole-time Director & CEO Ashwani Gupta said “the facility will strengthen industrial supply chains in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand while supporting the Prime Minister’s vision of lowering logistics costs through modern multimodal infrastructure.”
Key infrastructure features
Since the start of construction, APSEZ has executed major infrastructure works, including: Installation of a 2,000-tonne railway wagon loading system
- Commissioning of a 1.54-km dedicated railway line enabling direct ship-to-train cargo evacuation
- Refurbishment of the existing jetty
- Installation of advanced conveyor systems for automated cargo movement
- Deployment of two stacker-cum-reclaimers for automated stockyard management
- Addition of two mobile harbour cranes for faster vessel discharge
The railway wagon loading system and the dedicated rail line allow bulk cargo discharged from vessels to be loaded directly onto railway wagons and linked to the main rail network, reducing port dwell time and lowering delivered raw material costs for industrial users.
Boost to eastern industrial corridor
Haldia serves as a key maritime gateway for the steel, aluminium and power industries in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. The new capacity is expected to reduce logistics costs and improve turnaround times for bulk cargo.
The terminal aligns with the Centre’s infrastructure initiatives such as the Sagarmala Programme and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which aim to develop multimodal logistics networks and reduce logistics costs.
APSEZ currently has a cargo handling capacity of 633 million tonnes per annum and accounts for around 28 per cent of India’s total port volumes. The company is targeting throughput of one billion tonnes by 2030.