By Bizodisha Bureau, Paradip, July 10, 2015 : The union road transport, highways and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday inaugurated the South Oil Jetty of Paradip Refinery.

Indian Oil Corporation, as part of Paradip Refinery Project, is setting up the Oil Jetty, at a cost of Rs 811 crores, along with other facilities at Paradip Port.

A single berth is provided for loading of products and unloading of crude oil. One crude pipeline, eight product pipelines (Motor Spirit, High Speed Diesel, Naphtha, Dual Purpose Kerosene, Propylene and Propylene vapour) and three utilities pipelines are laid from South Oil Jetty to IOCL Paradip Refinery. Two Unloading Arms (for Crude) & eight Loading Arms (for product) are also installed at Jetty top.

Average parcel size for product is 62,000 Dead Weight Tonnage [DWT] with berth turned down time of 24 hours while for Crude unloading 1,00,000 DWT with berth turned down time of 26 hours, IOC officials said.

Based on the maximum off-take from the Refinery and the average ship sizes, about 212 ships can be loaded from the South Jetty per year.

The union minister of state [independent charge] petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha co-operation and excise minister Dr. Damodar Rout, Lok Sabha MP from Jagatsinghpur Dr. Kulamani Samal and other officials were present at the inaugural ceremony.