Kandla, Aug 17: Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (Iffco) is setting up its tidal port jetty for handling liquid cargo - phosphoric acid and liquid ammonia - at Kandla at an estimated cost of Rs 24 crore.

The liquid cargo handling of the proposed project is 2 million tonne per annum and the jetty approach bridge's length is 150 metres.

The project is likely to be completed by May, 1998, and is slated to be commissioned on August 15, 1998. The civil work contract value is Rs 16.75 crore. The contract for the project has been given to Trafalgar House Construction (I) Ltd and is designed by STUP Consultants. Despite constraints of congestion at Kandla port causing delay in availability of raw materials, the NPK-DAP unit has been able to achieve a record production of 1,842 tonne of P2O5 as on May 14.

According to Iffco chairman Surendra Kumar Jakhar, the project, when completed, will reduce congestion at Kandla port to a considerable extent and help in quicker availability of imported liquid ammonia and other raw materials required by the NPK/DAP plant. The Kandla Port Trust already has eight jetties for handling solid cargo and three tidal port jetties of 2 million tonne annual capacity each for handling liquid cargo. Besides, HPL and IOC have also planned tidal port jetties of 2 million tonne annual capacity each. Jakhar said Iffco has created enough storage capacity to reduce congestion at the port. It has three storage tanks of capacities 15,000, 10,000 and 5,000 tonnes for storing liquid ammonia. As much as 90 per cent of the liquid ammonia requirement by the plant is met through imports and the remaining 10 per cent requirement is met by liquid ammonia produced at Kallol plant in Gujarat.

Liquid ammonia from the Kalol plant is received in tankers - each having a capacity of 32 tonne. This is unloaded in two spheres of 1,500 tonne capacity each. Vapours generated during unloading are directly fed to the plant.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.