Calcutta, Aug. 5: French shipping and logistics firm Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has picked up a 49 per cent stake in Mumbai-based ABG Bulk Handling Pvt Ltd.

The Indian company is part of BSE-listed ABG Infralogistics Ltd, which operates bulk cargo and container terminals in Mangalore, Paradip Visakhapatnam, Kandla and Calcutta.

ABG Infralogistics has also won a contract to put up mobile harbour cranes and handle bulk cargo at the Haldia port amid huge controversy.

Along with ABG, LDA will be involved in operations in bulk cargo such as iron ore, coal and cement.

Before LDA acquired the stake, ABG had hived off its bulk handling operations into a new entity — ABG Bulk Handling Pvt Ltd. The container operations are still being run by ABG Infralogistics in Calcutta and Kandla in partnership with the Port of Singapore Authority.

After LDA bought into the new entity, the company has been renamed ABG-LDA Bulk Handling Pvt Ltd.

Saket Agarwal, managing director of ABG Infralogistics, said the joint venture would bid for bulk handling projects that would come up for private participation in the next few months. “There are projects coming up in New Mangalore, Tuticorin, Kandla and Visakhapatnam. We are likely to bid,” he said.

Agarwal was in Calcutta to announce the joint venture and disclose plans for the Haldia operations.

Patrick Le Scrainge, director of ABG Bulk Handling, said the Haldia operations would start by October.

ABG will invest $80 million in Haldia.

Agarwal said the company wanted to provide seamless solution to users from the port to factories.

“Many Indian companies now own mines abroad. They will import the material to their plants in India. We want total linkage,” he said.