Ships diverted to Vizag Port to supply raw material to VSP today

Visakhapatnam: Even as hot metal production is being made at bare minimum at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant due to raw material supply disruption caused by strike by the workers of Adani Gangavaram Port Private Limited (AGPPL), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is continuing its efforts to procure coking coal from alternative sources.

Ships diverted from Gangavaram to Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) are expected to supply coking coal by rakes from Saturday. To ensure safety of the machinery, the two coke oven batteries which were closed for pushings, were restored on Friday. With this, all the five coke oven batteries are being operated at minimal capacity to prevent leakage of various gases/chemicals.

“The production continues to be throttled though there is hope of restoring supplies from various other options,” a senior official of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of VSP, told Bizz Buzz.

Two ships, which brought 1.5 lakh tonnes of coking coal from Australia and USA, were stuck for several days at Gangavaram Port, located in the backyard of VSP. The top brass of RINL shifted the two ships to the Visakhapatnam Port, a major port under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Sources said one of the ships will discharge the raw material and start evacuating it to VSP coke ovens by rakes on Saturday.

RINL has a long-term agreement with Gangavaram Port and supplies the imported coking coal through a conveyor belt to avoid pollution and save freight cost.

Gangavaram Port workers and project displaced families are on a protest since the past five days demanding adequate compensation and revision in emoluments. Seven rakes from SAIL are expected to reach anytime. Amidst the turmoil, RINL remained steadfast in its resolve to fulfill its obligations to customers, stakeholders, and the community at large, officials said. The company’s proactive stance and collaborative spirit serve as a testament to its unwavering commitment to excellence, even in the face of adversity.

RINL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Atul Bhatt on Thursday spoke about their efforts to procure required raw material and conveyed immense gratitude to the Union Steel Minister, Steel Ministry officials, the Visakhapatnam District Collector, the Commissioner of Police, and the Visakhapatnam Police for their unwavering guidance and support in resolving the coal crisis of RINL. According to Gangavaram Port trade union leaders, the impasse resolving the strike still continued. “There are no tangible results so far to concede the genuine demands of the workers of the port from the management,” INTUC leader and Visakha Steel Employees’ Congress president Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao, said.