Ripley Group Creates History : Handles first ever Mini Cape Size at Sagar Anchorage.
One of the largest Mini Cape Vessels of its kind with 54,000 MT of coal cargo, anchored at Sagar for the first time, making Kolkata Port privileged enough to handle such a bulk carrier. “KoPT has entered the league through its License ‘Ripley Offshore” to handle a capesize vessel for the first time. So far, the Kolkata Port was handling Panamax vessels, The entire cargo unloading with two floating cranes and were transported through barges and subsequently handled at the Haldia Floating Barge Jetty (Ripley Group Company) outside the lock gate. KoPT is having a constraint of draft in the channel and lock gate operation in the docks. By doing lighterage operation with Cape Size vessel, which has a very wide beam and can carry higher parcel load in draft of 9.2 metre, we have in association with KoPT have overcome the constraint of draft to a great extent. The first baby cape vessel brought 54,000 tonne of coal from Indonesia for two corporate importers.. It may be mentioned that currently, most of the ships unload two-thirds of cargo at Paradip and one third at Haldia. But, under this trial with the baby cape size vessel, now two-third of cargo has come to Kolkata port. “Target is to offload the entire cargo at KoPT at least during November-March period of the year.