Paradeep port logs record cargo on higher crude oil imports

A record volume of crude oil imports fuelled record cargo growth at Paradeep Port Trust (PPT) in July. PPT handled a record throughput of 8.06 million tonne (mnt) in July alone, surpassing the earlier highest record handling of 7.61 million tonne cargo in March 2016.

The key growth drivers in cargo for July were imports of crude oil which breached two million tonne and handling of coking coal which stood at 1.23 million tonne. 

The major growth of cargo came in the month of July with addition of 0.8 million tonne of POL, 0.6 million tonne of imported coking coal and 0.6 million tonne of other cargo like imported limestone and dolomite. About 60% of the incremental two million tonne of cargo came from non-mechanized cargo operations in the monsoon which actually helped the port to achieve the record cargo handling of eight million tonne in a single month. 

In the April-July of 2016-17, the port handled 28.65 million tonne of cargo compared to 24.34 million tonne in the corresponding period of last fiscal, witnessing a growth of 17.75%. Also, in July, PPT handled baby Capesize vessels for the first time. 

The use of dual ship loader at the Mechanical Coal Handling Plant (MCHP) in recent months has ensured that the thermal coal ships at Paradip port can be sailed within 24 hours of berthing. 

In this fiscal, PPT is targeting 90 million tonne of cargo compared to 76.38 million tonne it handled in 2015-16.