August cargo handling at PPT up by 21%

Paradip Port Trust (PPT) handled 5.91 million tonnes (mt) cargo during August, 2013, compared with 4.88 mt handled in the same month last year, registering a growth of 21.07 per cent. The August figure is also 13.29 per cent higher than the target fixed for the month.

During the month, 2.42 mt cargo was exported and 3.49 mt was imported through the port.

In the first five months of the current financial year, PPT handled a total of 29.04 mt cargo, higher than 21.08 mt handled in the previous comparable period. The port recorded 37.8 per cent growth in the five month period.

Between April and August 2013, there was spurt in nearly all types of cargo traffic. While thermal coal traffic went up by 59.19 per cent, POL (17.84 per cent), iron ore (98.46 per cent), fertiliser raw materials (4.13 per cent), coking coal (20.01 per cent) and other cargo traffic (47.85 per cent) have recorded impressive growth.

The port has retained the second highest position in terms of cargo handled and also in terms of percentage of growth in traffic among all the major ports till the end of August 2013.

In technical performance parameters, there was significant improvement. The average berth-day output for the month improved by 13 per cent and for April-August period increased by 3 per cent, said a port release.

During August, rail borne traffic was up by 33 per cent and for April-Aug period, it improved by 46 per cent in the port, it said.