Karnataka: Global Tender Floated For Developing Keni-Belekeri Greenfield Port

A global tender for the development of an all-weather deep water greenfield port at Keni-Belekeri in Karnataka has been floated based on a design, build, finance, operate, transfer (DBFOT) model.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had proposed to develop the port based on a public-private partnership (PPP) model during the state budget for 2022-23 to boost economic activity in the Uttara Kannada district.

The site for the port development is in the Ankola taluka of Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district.

The proposed port is 26 kilometres south of Karwar on the bank of the Hattikeri River, and will be a fair weather lighterage port open to traffic for about eight months. It will have a large stacking area, a good road network, and the capacity to handle 3 to 5 million tonnes of cargo.

The Konkan Railway line is about 4 km away. Ankola, the nearest railway station, is approximately 6.7 km to the southeast of the site. 

Rail connectivity to the project site is proposed on the southern side of the port, which is connected with the existing Konkan line to the north of Ankola station. 

Leading global management consultancy, McKinsey & Co, was tasked with developing traffic scenarios and determining the origin-destination of essential cargo for the port of Belekeri for over 20 years.

Thermal coal, iron ore, and coking coal would be the primary commodities served by the proposed port.

It is expected to divert some of the traffic currently handled primarily by Krishnapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district.