The Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs and Shipping, Shri Arun Jaitley will inaugurate the country’s first liquid chemical port at Dahej, in Bharuch district of Gujarat on January 25, 2001 at a function there to be presided over by the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The Minister of State for Shipping, Shri Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav will be present, among other dignitaries, on the occasion.

It may be recalled that this 1.8 million tpa liquid chemical port set up by Gujarat Chemical Port Terminal Co. Ltd (GCPTCL) at Dahej in Gujarat, had become operational on 10 December 2000, with an Iranian vessel deberthing.

The port has been set up at a cost of Rs.830 crore and has a capacity of storing 3,11,300 m³, with 60 per cent reserved for the promoter companies. The chemicals for which storage facility has been created include propylene, propane and naphtha.

This port will enable the promoter companies to access the raw material requirements at international cost and also enable the chemical industries located in the region to access their feedstock and intermediates at internationally competitive rates.

This is also intended to considerably decongest the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, in Maharashtra, and the Kandla Port, in Gujarat.

GCPTCL has been promoted by Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers, Indian Petrochemicals Corporation, Gujarat Maritime Board, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation, Gujarat State Fertilisers Co and Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd. IPCL holds a maximum stake of 41.8 per cent in GCPTCL.