APSEZ placed the highest royalty bid of ₹122.30 per tonne for the CQ-1 and CQ-2 berths, securing the rights to operate the facilities for 30 years, according to a report by ET Infra. The project involves an estimated investment of ₹981.96 crore.

The two berths will be developed as a common-user public-private partnership (PPP) facility for handling dry bulk cargo. Together, they are designed to provide an annual handling capacity of around 18 million tonnes, supporting the movement of commodities such as coal, minerals and other dry bulk cargoes.   The CQ-1 and CQ-2 berths have a combined berth length of 485 metres and a water depth of 15 metres. The project will also include a storage area covering approximately 400,000 square metres, with mechanised cargo-handling infrastructure aimed at improving operational efficiency and vessel turnaround times.   The deal would mark APSEZ’s entry into Paradip Port, one of India’s major state-owned ports and a key gateway for bulk commodities on the eastern coast. Paradip already handles a wide range of dry bulk cargoes through its existing berth network.   The development is strategically significant for APSEZ because the company already operates a number of ports and terminals along the eastern coast, including Dhamra, Gopalpur, Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam, Kattupalli, Ennore, Karaikal and Haldia. Adding facilities at Paradip would further expand its regional network and strengthen its ability to serve cargo flows originating from the mineral-rich hinterland of eastern and central India.

APSEZ currently operates a large network of ports and terminals in India and handled more than 500 million tonnes of cargo in FY26. The company has also set a longer-term target of reaching 1 billion tonnes of annual cargo handling by 2030.

For Paradip, the proposed investment is expected to bring additional mechanised capacity and private-sector operational expertise to dry bulk handling. The project could help improve cargo evacuation, reduce vessel turnaround times and support the port’s growing role in India’s bulk commodity trade.

With APSEZ poised to take control of the two berths, the project is likely to become an important addition to the company’s eastern India portfolio and further intensify competition among private operators for cargo-handling opportunities at major Indian ports.