Ennore port to export Ford cars for 10 years to boost auto exports

Bhaskarachar, CMD, Ennore Port

IN A bid to boost auto exports, Ennore Port Limited, Chennai and Ford India Private Limited have inked a pact for export of Ford cars though the Ennore port for a period of 10 years. According to the agreement, the port will give various volume-based discounts on wharfage ranging from five percent to 30 percent to boost more exports through EPL, said a government release. Ford India Private Limited has set up a...
modern integrated manufacturing facility at Maraimalai Nagar, near Chennai, for export of their automobile products.
Thanks to its strategic location, Chennai has of late emerged as the hub of automobile manufacturing sector with all global auto majors having their manufacturing plants in the city. Chennai has also emerged as a major centre for export of automobiles, and the port has played a pivotal role in facilitating exports. During the period from September 2010 to December 2013, over 4,49,720 units of car were exported from Ennore Port, including those of manufacturers such as Nissan, Ford and Ashok Leyland from Chennai, Toyota from Bangalore and Honda from Delhi. The port has developed a general cargo-cum-car terminal at a cost of Rs 140 crore, which includes a car parking yard of 35 acres for parking of 10000 cars at a time, the biggest among the major ports, says the statement.
Outlining the future projects of the port, Union shipping minister GK Vasan said that the EPL has planned to set up an LNG storage and re-gasification terminal with IOC (Indian Oil Corporation) for importing LNG at an estimated investment of Rs 4,500 crores having capacity of 5 million metric tonnes per annum. The IOCL plans to commission the project by 2016-17. The port will also develop a container terminal at an estimated cost of Rs 1,270 crore with a capacity of 1.4 million TEUs.
The port is expected to handle 24 MMT during 2013-14 compared to 17.89 MMT during 2012-13. During the 12th five year plan, Ennore port has plans to increase its capacity from present 30 MTPA to 66.8 MTPA. The all weather port is the first corporatised major port in the country and has been designed to be developed as Asia's energy port.