New Mangalore Port cargo traffic dips 3%

New Mangalore Port, the only major port in Karnataka, has registered a marginal decline of 3 per cent in its cargo traffic at 35.52 million tons during fiscal-ended March 31, 2010, compared to the previous year. Its turnover crossed the Rs 300 crore mark for the year.

The drop in traffic was mainly on account of a sharp drop in iron ore cargo during the year. The port handled 5.45 million tonnes of iron ore, a drop of 36 per cent compared to the previous year. This was mainly due to the restriction on the movement of iron ore-laden lorries on the National Highways 48 and 17 by the district administration of Dakshina Kannada for the past six months, NMP chairman P Tamilvanan said.

However, the port could make up the shortfall to some extent by the increased handling of coal, containers and limestone, among others. The number of vessels handled during 2009-10 increased to 1,186 as against 1,184 vessels handled during the previous year.

The container traffic has increased by 10.16 per cent to 31,456 TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units) as against 28,555 TEUs handled during the previous year.  The railway traffic also registered a growth of 13.33 per cent to 6.73 million tonnes during 2009-10, he said.

The port handled a record maize traffic of 161,000 tonnes, a growth of 45 per cent over the previous year.