Mundra & Pipavav will continue to be “cheapest hinterland-connected ports”: Girish Aggarwal

MUMBAI : Hinting that the upcoming container Port at Vadhvan in Maharashtra poses little threat to ports in neighbouring Gujarat, Mr. Girish Aggarwal, MD of Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd (APM Terminals Pipavav) said that the both Mundra and Pipavav will continue to be “cheapest hinterland-connected ports.”

“North India is landlocked and between us and Mundra, we continue to be the cheapest hinterland connected ports vis-a-vis a Vadhvan or a Nhava Sheva (in Maharashtra).” Aggarwal said during an earnings call held earlier this week. Talking about any possible competition from the upcoming Vadhvan port, Aggarwal said, “There is enough and more local cargo in the port of Pipavav and hence we stand on our own and that cargo cannot go anywhere.”

APM Terminals which currently has a four percent market share in India’s container business, operates the port at Pipavav, as well as the a container terminal through a joint venture — the Gateway Terminals India Pvt Ltd — with Container Corporation of India (Concor) at Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva in Maharashtra.