# Paradip Port reaches 150 MT cargo milestone, targets 500 MT 2026-08-22T05:54:13+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Paradip Port has handled 150 million metric tonnes of cargo annually, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said during a visit to the Odisha port on Friday. He announced a target of raising annual handling capacity to 500 million metric tonnes. Sonowal inaugurated or launched foundation work for seven projects worth Rs 427.80 crore. The Centre also plans a greenfield port at Bahuda in Ganjam district at an estimated cost of Rs 21,000 crore. The port is expected to handle about five million containers. Jagatsinghpur MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai said youths received appointment letters during the programme. Odisha minister Sampad Chandra Swain said the projects would support the port’s growth and allow ships carrying heavy logistics to anchor there. The Bahuda project is intended to expand Odisha’s maritime infrastructure. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Moving from 150 million to 500 million tonnes would require sustained investment in berths, storage, rail and road links, as well as reliable cargo demand. A new container-focused facility at Bahuda could broaden Odisha’s port network beyond bulk cargo, but its construction and operation would depend on project approvals, financing and implementation. The main signals to watch are the timeline for the seven projects and the next formal steps on the Bahuda port plan. ## Coverage - odishatv.in Straight account of milestones, projects and official statements This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Bahuda, Ganjam, Odisha, Paradip Port, Sarbananda Sonowal Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/paradip-port-reaches-150-mt-cargo-milestone-targets-500-mt/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/paradip-port-reaches-150-mt-cargo-milestone-targets-500-mt/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/