Transportation of key raw material to VSP from AGPL resumes
Coking coal arriving at RINL from Adani Gangavaram Port Limited
Visakhapatnam : As the supply of coking coal and essential raw material disrupted in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) following the strike at Adani Gangavaram Port Private Limited (AGPL), the steel plant has been facing unprecedented challenges. Operation at the AGPL came to a grinding halt as workers staged an agitation from April 12.
The disruption significantly affected RINL’s ability to procure essential raw material, coking coal and limestone, which are crucial for the VSP’s production process. However, the supply of essential raw material from APGL resumed from Friday.
Keeping the challenges in view, CMD of RINL Atul Bhatt thanked the stakeholders, who played a crucial role in resolving the transportation crisis of raw material from the AGPL to the RINL.
He mentioned the collective efforts of the stakeholders and their timely intervention were instrumental for ensuring continuity of the plant’s operations and resolving the raw material supply crisis.
“The unstinted support from all the stakeholders, including customers and vendors, in resolving the current issue is paramount to ensure uninterrupted and safe operations of the plant. The support will help in safeguarding our valuable assets, jobs and sustaining economic growth in our region,” the CMD mentioned.
Thanking the officials of the steel ministry and SAIL management for their continued support in tiding over the raw material supply crisis, Atul Bhatt appreciated the railways and Visakhapatnam Port Authority and Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited for their constant guidance to the plant to overcome the challenge.
“Now, our focus will be to ramp up the production in a phased manner based on the availability of raw material and put in our best efforts to minimise the loss suffered during the past one month due to this raw material crisis,” Atul Bhatt informed.
The supply of coal has been disrupted due to the crisis in sourcing coking coal from the port.
Workers of Gangavaram Port have been on strike, demanding a rise in wages. The prolonged strike invariably affected the daily production which compounded the financial constraints of the RINL way further.