India’s International Coal Ventures Private Limited (ICVL) group, which acquired coal assets of the Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto group in Mozambique, aims to triple output at the Benga open-pit mine in Tete province within three years, the group’s chairman said.

ICVL is comprised by the Indian state-owned firms Coal India, the Steel Authority of India, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL). It exploits coking coal and other minerals and bio-energies on a partnership basis.

C.S. Verma, who also chairs the Steel Authority of India, told Reuters financial agency that coal production at the mine would be upped to 13 million tons per year within that period.

He added that the group would use existing logistics infrastructure in Mozambique to streamline operations and that it also wanted to take part in the development of projects such as new railways and ports, if necessary.

The only current way to transport coal mined in Tete to the coast for export is via the Sena line. Its 6 million ton capacity will be doubled when ongoing work is completed.

The new railway line linking Tete to the port north of Nacala is financed by Brazil’s Vale mining concern and nearing completion. If all goes according to schedule, the first trains carrying Vale coal to Nacala will begin to operate this coming September