Gopalpur Port – New Gateway to East Coast of India

The Gopalpur Port has become operational on 12th December 2015 after a long gap of two years when it was devastated by Cyclone Phailin. Sri Lankan vessel “Grace” with a shipment of around 20,000 tonne of sand of Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a unit of Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL) anchored at the dock in Ganjam district.

Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi flagged off the re-functioning of Gopalpur Port. Berhampur MP Siddhant Mahapatra, Chhatrapur MLA Dr. Priyansu Pradhan, Khallikote MLA Purna Chandra Sethi, Jeypore MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati, Berhampur Mayor K Madhavi were among others who were present at the inauguration ceremony.

Managing Director of Gopalpur Ports Ltd, Mr. Mahimananda Mishra and his son and Director of the company, Sri Charchit Mishra were also present at the occasion.

* Strategically located between Paradeep & Visakhapatnam. It is developed on a 4-km stretch of Coastline and is well connected by Road and Rail.

* Gopalpur Port has adequate stack yard space for storage of Bulk and Break Bulk Cargo and is planned with provision for upgradation as per the traffic growth.

* There are 15 covered sheds with a total area of 12,000 sq.m for storage of break bulk cargoes.

* Quick evacuation if the cargo would be through NH-516, a two-lane road upgradable to eight lanes in future connecting NH-16 (erstwhile NH-5), which is just 6 km away. An effective rail network within the Port has been enabled for faster evacuation of cargo.

* Gopalpur Port will serve the factories and mineral rich hinterlands of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

* Currently, the Port has an multipurpose berth with semi-mechanized handling facilities giving versatility in handling all type of cargo, whether import or export.

* The Gopalpur Port had commenced its commercial operations and trial shipments in April 2013, but it suffered huge infrastructure losses estimated at Rs 250 crore during Cyclone Phailin in October 2013, followed by Cyclone Hudhud in October 2014.

* Apart from the Odisha Government, Gopalpur Port Ltd. MD Mr. Mahimananda Mishra and Director Charchit Mishra, renovation and reconstruction of the Port was conducted on a war footing and it became operational on 12 December, 2015.

* Gopalpur Port has now become the new Gateway to the East Coast of India.