The Switzerland-based international consultants - KPMG International - have recommended that the existing capacity of Mumbai port be doubled and its infrastructure be revamped at a cost of Rs.5,000 crore in a period of seven years.

In its report submitted to the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), have estimated that the existing traffic of about 52 million tonne of cargo will reach about 84 million tonne by 2013-14, for which MbPT required to raise its cargo handling capacity to handle at least 116.57 million tonne (considering that 80 per cent of the infrastructure will be utilised on an average).

The recommendations made by the consultants include complete re-engineering of the Indira Docks, joint ventures with minor ports in the region and organisational improvements. According to the projections made by the consultants, the cargo traffic will increase to 133.45 million tonne by 2025-26 and the capacity requirement for that will be in the range of 155.87 million tonne by then.

For creating the infrastructure, the consultants have recommended capital investments of Rs.4,941.70 crore in the next seven years in a phased manner - Rs.240.1 crore in 2007-08; Rs.1,123.3 crore in 2008-09; Rs.1,917.7 crore in 2009-10; Rs.730.5 crore in 2010-11; Rs.746.2 in 2011-12; Rs.150.6 crore in 2012-13; Rs.33.3 crore in 2013-14.

Of this, Rs 2,550.8 crore will be invested by the MbPT over seven years, Rs.2,172.3 crore by a private developer or through a joint-venture partner, Rs.94 crore from budgetary support from the National Maritime Development Project and Rs.124.5 from other sources like the state government.

The major client-related investments in the port include the development of the offshore container terminal (OCT); container freight station; empty stacking yards (for containers); redevelopment of harbour wall berths; construction of second chemical jetty and creating fifth oil berth.

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