Cargo traffic at Paradip up 38% in July

Paradip Port Trust (PPT) handled 6.13 million tonnes (mt) of cargo during July compared with 4.45 mt handled in the corresponding month of previous year, registering 37.66 per cent growth in total cargo traffic.

During the month, 2.15 million tonnes of cargo were exported and 3.98 million tonnes of cargo were imported through the port.

Between April and July, PPT handled 23.13 million tonnes cargo, against 16.19 million tonnes handled in the year ago period , which is an increase of 42.83 per cent.

During the four month period of the current financial year, thermal coal traffic exhibited a growth of 61.86 per cent. Similarly POL traffic increased by 20.54 per cent, iron ore traffic registered a growth of 112.48 per cent, fertilizer raw materials went up by 28.10 per cent, coking coal by 17.37 per cent and other cargo traffic by 60 per cent compared to the same period of previous year.

The port has retained the second highest position in terms of cargo handling and also in terms of percentage of growth in traffic among all the major ports in July 2013, the port authorities said in a statement.