Odisha Govt Signs Revised Concession Agreement for Development, Expansion of Gopalpur Port

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Commerce & Transport Department and port giant Gopalpur Port Limited have inked a Revised Concession Agreement for the development and expansion of the Gopalpur port in Ganjam district.

The agreement was signed at the Commerce & Transport Department conference hall here in presence of State Commerce & Transport Minister Padmanav Behera and Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi.

Gopalpur Port was initially controlled and managed by Odisha State Commerce & Transport Department.

To develop and expand Gopalpur port into an all-season port, the Commerce & Transport Department on September 14 in 2006 signed an agreement with Gopalpur Port Ltd, a port management agency of Odisha Stevedores Limited (OSL) under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode as a result of which it has transformed from a seasonal port to an all-season port.

Later, with 51 percent stake, Shapoorji Pallonji Port Maintenance Pvt. Ltd. took the management control of the Gopalpur Port on 18 January, 2017 and the balance stake remained with the original promoter OSL.

The change in management of the port required a fresh and revised concession agreement to be signed between the State Government and the port authorities, informed the Transport Minister.

The State Cabinet in its meeting on 7 December, 2021, had given its approval for signing the revised agreement which came to effect today, he added.

State Commerce & Transport Department Special Secretary Sanjay Mishra, Gopalpur Port Director Padmalochan Roul, Port CEO Captain Sandeep Agrawal, Senior Advisor Arabind Panigrahi, Corporate Affairs Vice President Jagdish Rout and Manager Ratiranjan Dash were present during signing of the agreement.