Car exports via Ennore Port from August 2010: Vasan

Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS) Car exports from the Ennore Port in Tami Nadu will start from August 2010, Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan said here Friday.

'The construction of the car terminal at the Ennore Port is proceeding smoothly. The port has inked an agreement with Nissan India, which will use the terminal to ship out 180,000 cars,' Vasan told reporters.

Built at an outlay of Rs.110 crore, the car terminal will have a 175,000 sq metre parking yard.

According to Vasan, the Ennore Port has attracted private investments to the tune of Rs.1,200 crore for building coal, iron ore and marine liquid terminals.

Asked about the status of Haldia Dock Complex of the Kolkata Port Trust, that has been closed due to silt, Vasan said: 'Dredging is going on and normalcy will be restored soon.'

Last fiscal, Ennore Port posted a profit after tax of Rs.41.46 crore on a revenue of Rs.142 crore.

Declaring the maiden dividend of 15 percent, the company's chairman and managing director S. Velumani handed over the central share of Rs.4.15 crore to Vasan at a function here.

He also handed over a cheque for Rs.2.07 crore to Subash Kumar, chairman of the Chennai Port Trust, as its dividend share.