Sical to Build Rs 5.5 bln Iron Ore Terminal at Ennore Port

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

-- Operations to begin FY08-09
-- Expected to generate nearly Rs 2 bln in annual revenue
-- 24x7 terminal to be developed on 30 year BOT contract
-- Capacity 12 mln TPA, expandable to 15/20 mln TPA
-- To initially handle Panamax and Cape size vessels up to 150,000 DWT
-- "Major boost to iron ore movement in southern India"-Sical Vice Chairman

BSE: 520086
NSE: SICAL
Reuters: SICA.BO
Bloomberg: SIC@IN

Sical Logistics Ltd today announced that Ennore Port Ltd has chosen the Sical-led consortium to build an iron ore terminal at Ennore port near Chennai in southern India. Prof K Anbazhagan, Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu state, on Sunday handed over the letter of intent to Sical Chairman Dr AC Muthiah at a function presided over by TR Baalu, India's Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, to inaugurate Ennore Port's new corporate office in Chennai.

The project is estimated to cost nearly Rs 5.5 billion. Operations are scheduled to begin in financial year
2008-09.

The iron ore terminal will be developed on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract for 30 years including the construction period. The terminal will have a capacity for 12 million tonnes of cargo per year, expandable to 15/20 million tonnes per year. Facilities include a jetty, ship loader, mechanized handling system with conveyor, storage, and a wagon unloading system.

Initially, the terminal will handle Panamax and Cape size vessels up to 150,000 DWT; after dredging, the terminal would be able to handle vessels of 225,000 DWT. Other features include the capability of an average 75,000-tonnes-per day ship loading rate; a stockpile area that can store 1.2 million tonnes of iron ore; and a railway wagon unloading system that can handle up to twelve 3500-tonne rakes per day.

The project, to be implemented on a revenue sharing basis with Ennore Port, is expected to generate nearly Rs 2 billion in annual revenue.

Ashwin Muthiah, Vice Chairman, Sical Logistics, said that the Ennore terminal would provide a major boost to iron ore movement in southern India, and, consequently, to the economy of the region.

"Iron ore exporters in southern India will soon get a world class terminal to berth cape size vessels with fast loading rates that conform to international benchmarks," Mr Muthiah said. "The Ennore Port Terminal will open up major possibilities, both in terms of direction and volume of movement, given its location on India's eastern coastline, close to the strong demand centers in the Asia-Pacific," he added.

The terminal further strengthens Sical's strategic framework of multi-modal integrated logistics, Mr Muthiah said. "Taken together with Sical's trucking operations and plans for container trains, the value proposition to the customer is clear─a significant debottlenecking of the supply chain, resulting in a seamless flow from the mines to the terminal and to the ultimate destination ports," he said.

ABOUT SICAL LOGISTICS

Sical Logistics Ltd, formerly South India Corporation (Agencies) Ltd, is India's leading provider of integrated multi-modal logistics for bulk and containerized cargo─port terminals; port handling; trucking and warehousing; ship agency; container freight stations; customs agency; and offshore supply logistics. Sical's delivery network includes an exclusive walk-in berth at Chennai for ships carrying bulk cargo; 1.9 million square meters of storage across 104 warehouses; owned and regularly contracted fleet of over 2400 transport vehicles, and container freight stations at 4 locations across India. Sical's consolidated revenue in FY2005-06 was Rs 9.60 billion on an equity base of Rs 301.9 million. For more information on Sical, please visit http://www.sical.com.

Anuradha Altekar, Ubiquus,, +91 9870100642 anuradha@ubiquus.biz

Source: Sical Logistics Ltd. (Business Wire India)

Press release presented here is sourced from the Source mentioned above and is provided on as-is basis. Please contact the Company / Source directly for any further information in regard to this release. This website will be unable to assist you in regard to the accuracy or correctness of information in this release.